Lo and Behold: her story
by tropicalsplash.juicyfruit
Summary: *new characters, PLEASE READ & REVIEW, no cheating* The story of a special human who could take down the highest powers....
1. Chapter 1

_I don't own Twilight, or any movie, show, or song quotes in here. If you know where they're from, great; if not, don't worry about it. Thanks._

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**1. Leaving**

"She's nothing but a nuisance," Jane muttered. "An annoying, talent-thieving human. A _human_, Aro! Not one of us. She mocks us!"

"She can't help what she does!" Demetri argued.

"Peace," Aro said calmly. "She has done nothing wrong."

"_Nothing wrong_?" Caius scoffed. "She's trying to gain control!"

They argued in the tall chamber, assuming I couldn't hear them. Jane was right, though. I was technically a talent-stealing human. I could do everything they could, and more. I could hear like them, see like them, think like them… _run_ like them… My heart swelled at the memory of running.

It was an intense combination of speed, clarity and heart-pounding adrenaline – at least, it would be, if their hearts were still beating.

"Being human, surrounded by vampires," I whispered. "What fun this is. At least Demetri likes me…."

"It's not that bad," Gianna whispered back. "I'm still here, aren't I?"

"You are. I just… I don't know if they'll keep you. Or me. I highly doubt they'll keep me. Jane will make me wish I was dead. Caius already does. Although, he wishes every other person was dead, so…"

Gianna chuckled nervously. I looked at her, and she smiled at me. Her dark skin seemed unnaturally pale around her pretty green eyes. She had her hair tied back, and it didn't help hide her stress.

She was my friend – we were in the same boat, at least. Two humans, working for the royal family of vampires, with limited or no choice in that decision. She was usually at ease here, waiting for the day she becomes a vampire.

"I'm so normal," she said. "You're amazing. You can change your appearance when you want, and you… what? Absorb abilities of people around you?"

"That's it in a nutshell," I sighed. "They don't like it. They said I would be useful, but I haven't been able to _do_ anything. And now they won't change me because they're afraid I'll be so powerful, and I'll try to take over.... Gi, how am I supposed to control a whole _race_? And a _city_? What the hell?!"

"Don't worry." Gianna patted my arm and stood up. She walked across the big room to her desk.

I looked up. I couldn't see the ceiling in the tower. I glared at the door leading to the Volturi's little hideout for half a second before I felt the anger flow through me. I thrust the violent thoughts away and tried to concentrate on… something else.

"If you won't get rid of her," Jane threatened from the other room, "I will."

Before anyone could respond, she stormed silently from the room, making the thick wooden door crash against the wall. She walked towards me, looking ready to kill.

Instead of waiting for the attack, I stood up. I smiled smugly at her as she crumpled to the floor. She writhed and shrieked, her baby face contorted with pain. Alec – who was her male equivalent – stood five feet away, looking scared.

I looked past them all, towards the leaders, the three in the blackest cloaks. Aro looked amused, Caius looked deadly and Marcus – the unenthusiastic one – looked relatively bored. As usual. I rolled my eyes, and Jane lay panting on the ground, free from the illusion of torture.

"I'm leaving," I announced. "I'm going to find other people. People who appreciate me for what I can do. I want a family, not a force, not a coven. I want _family_. This is horrible. I feel like an unappreciated puppet –"

"You may leave, child," Aro said kindly. "Come visit sometimes!"

"Okay," I mumbled. "I will only come back if you do one thing for me."

"Of course!"

"Listen to Gianna."

I turned quickly and wrenched another thick door open. I took fifteen steps before I decided I was going too slowly. I broke into a human run – which was also too slow.

My feet barely touched the ground as I flew through the darkness. Although, with the sight I had, it was actually quite bright.

I still found it amazing to be able to travel like this. I should have been exhausted after about a second of running. Somehow, it felt like I was just walking. I didn't get tired, my breath came normally, and my heart didn't explode from the exertion.

Where I was running to, I had no idea. The only thing I knew was that I was running away from my past life – if you could call that a life. Working for vampires wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I'd lost count of the days I'd spent with the Volturi….

A week, a month, seven months, a year… I counted as I sped through the sewer. I remembered my numbers as I jumped up through the small gate. I listened for any sign that someone was following me. When I heard nothing, I continued.

I snuck into the dark alley unnoticed. Even though the sun was up, the walls and buildings surrounding me blocked the light. There were no people around – they would probably all be in the square, celebrating the dumbest holiday ever.

Saint Marcus Day. I snorted. Like _he_ could have done anything. He was so subdued, I had no idea why Caius hadn't gotten sick of him.

I looked down at myself. I had to be able to get through crowds unnoticed, and today was the perfect day to wear red. This world was so ironic – the colour for the day celebrating the vampire was the colour of the blood the vampire drank. How very original it was.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Demetri whispered from the sewer gate. "Don't pretend like I can't get you."

"Why would you _want_ to get me?" I shot back.

He chuckled, and in a second, he stood in front of me. He resembled a dark grey blob with his thick cloak. "Hello," he said, smiling.

"Who sent you?" I asked calmly. I wasn't stressed like a normal person would be. This situation was normal to me. Besides, I knew Demetri would never try to hurt me. Without help.

"You, technically. Gianna wanted to give you something before you left, but you were so excited to leave, she didn't get the chance." Demetri handed me a box about as big as both of my hands side by side. I wasn't ready to open it just yet. He also tossed me my tiny backpack, which I slung over my shoulder.

"Please tell her I said thank you," I said, peering at the brown box. "Tell her, if I decide to… visit… she'll be the first to know."

"I will." He looked down at me and I saw my own sad reflection in his crimson eyes. Dead straight but messy brown hair, changing brown eyes, pale face, very light freckles; and the rest of me tucked in my deep grey cloak, apart from my hands.

Then it was gone, and he turned to walk away.

"Bye, Demetri."

I blinked, and he disappeared. I looked down at the box in my hand and wondered what was inside. I sighed, opening it.

There was a post-it attached to a long, rolled-up piece of paper, telling strangers not to read the paper unless I said so – written in my weird and somewhat messy writing. I pulled out the paper and read about the day I came to Volterra.

_In the 13 years I've been alive, I've never been this comfortable. Not necessarily in the environment, but I don't feel cold or hungry, or like I have to even breathe. I barely remember who I am here – I've only told people to call me Lo because I can't remember the rest of my name. Gloria? Florence? Loraine? I have no clue. Doesn't really matter anymore, does it?_

_I'm sitting in an alley. I got this pen and paper from someone who seems to live here – it seems more like a festival city than a residential place… I've seen a lot of people today, and some of them seem… a little strange. I passed someone wearing a dark grey cloak earlier; he sort of looked at me like he knew me…_

_I see him now. He's coming to me._

And that was when Demetri came and introduced himself. Then he took me to the Volturi's hideout, and I discovered my ability to use other peoples' abilities. I remember using Jane's first, to get myself away from the thirsty vampires….

The thought stopped there, and I shuddered. It was both the darkest and lightest days of my life. I turned away from the place where Demetri disappeared, almost unwilling to leave.

But, in the end, I forced myself to forget. Hoping for the best, my feet began to move.


	2. Chapter 2

**2. Lost**

I had forgotten almost everything – at least, I had no clue where I was now, why I was there and how long I had been travelling. I knew everything two days ago, but now it seemed as if I would make it nowhere, unable to even remember my name, which was one of the things I tried _not_ to lose.

I managed to escape Volterra quickly – running through huge crowds of people wearing red – and make my way out of Italy altogether. I ran through a few countries, and just kept going when I hit the Atlantic Ocean.

There were only two possibilities going relatively west from Portugal: Canada and the United States. It was true that I had gone west, but it was also true that I didn't run totally straight. So, until I could figure out which country I was in, I wasn't anywhere special.

I knew where I _wanted_ to go. In Aro's thoughts, I had seen two families – families, and not covens – that lived in the States. One clan lived somewhere in Alaska, and the other lived in Washington state. I had no clue where these places _were_, but I would get there, somehow.

Except I didn't know how.

Running in one general direction didn't help much. I had gotten myself lost. I wanted to look around, to find people, ask them where I was…. But wouldn't they think I was crazy? Maybe not – people got lost all the time.

Another thing I didn't expect was hunger. I didn't know what this strange feeling was, this unpleasant emptiness. I wanted food, but… I hadn't eaten anything in years! How was it possible?

I gathered some information from looking around me: I was in a small town that seemed to be home to about a thousand people, it was green and about to rain, and the people looked friendly. I walked up to one stranger.

"Um, excuse me?" I croaked. It had been more than three days since I'd spoken, and it showed.

The woman looked up at me tentatively. I was aware of my ragged robe trailing in the dirt behind me. She smiled. "Hello," she said.

"I was wondering… what province, territory or state am I in right now?" I asked meekly.

"You are in the province of Ontario, Canada," she replied, seeming confused at the question.

Ontario, Canada. That meant, if I followed the right path, I could get to Forks, Washington within a day. I could go south to the border between countries, follow that line until I could see the Pacific Ocean, then make my way from there….

"Thanks," I said. "I'll just be… going on my way."

"Enjoy!" the woman called, waving as I walked away. I waved back and smiled to myself. Maybe Volterra wasn't the nicest place after all.

I casually strolled into a too-bright alley that was more like a small street. Turning my head to the street I was just on, I waited to see if the woman had followed me.

_Are you really _that _suspicious?_ a little voice asked in the back of my head. It was right – I was overly suspicious of that nice woman who was minding her own business.

Instead of leaving, I stayed in the alley-street for another twenty minutes. The only person who walked down the street was a pretty blonde, who turned to look at me for half a second.

__________

I could barely run anymore. The hunger had made me tired, and I could run for no more than a minute at a time. When I finally caught a glimpse of the ocean, I turned southward and kept on. I flew over the border and walked most of the way. When I hit water, I did my best to cross it – somehow.

After what seemed like hours – maybe another day – I found a highway, which I followed carefully. It began to rain, and I pulled my hood over my head.

It felt like I was getting closer to my target. My hunger slowly faded, anxiety taking its place. What would these other vampires be like? Would they look and act different from my past masters? Would they take me in?

_Would they change me?_

Determination pushed me forward. The trees cleared, and it seemed like I had walked into a dirt road. It was cleverly hidden – almost like people shouldn't find it. A gut feeling told me to follow it away from the highway.

__________

I was still tired. I slugged along now, my feet making thin tracks in the gravel beneath me. My shoulders sagged, and I stopped walking altogether. I pushed the hood of my robe away from my face, and it hit my back with a wet thud. Fanning my hair out behind me, my eyes roved around.

The winding path quickly disappeared ahead of me and behind me. I was surrounded by green: trees, grass, moss…

"Okay, I'm lost," I muttered to myself. "So lost. This road could lead nowhere! A dead end! That would be a perfect end.... searching for a better home, losing my mind along the way…. I love the irony in that."

_Was_ I going crazy? One symptom was definitely there – I was talking to myself. Next, I would hear voices in my head, then I would be in a perfect world – a dream-world – then I would remember nothing because I would be locked in a rubber room after explaining that I lived with vampires in Italy, that was why I could control my breathing and heartbeat…

Okay, if I was already imagining my future, there couldn't be much more for me. Maybe I should just lie down here and wait to be taken over by insanity.

There were more options though – a more likely course.

This family could find me here. They could take me in despite my differences – one being that I wasn't one of them. I could actually be part of their family…

_Family,_ I sighed. It was one thing I wanted to experience in this life… _belonging_.

How long had I been on my knees? I had no idea, but I was comfortable. Being on my feet for half a week wasn't pleasant. This was.

How bad would it be if I decided to lie down? Take a nap?

This idea was very appealing. So appealing, in fact, that I tipped over in the middle of the dirt road. I didn't care how dirty I would be when – or if – I woke up. I was comfortable, and that was the only thing that mattered.

I closed my eyes, and was unconscious before the second raindrop hit my cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

**3. Found**

_What is that? Guys, come check this out…._

_And girl!_

_Whatever! Get over here! I don't know what it is._

_Must be another witness._

Well, phase two had arrived: I was hearing voices. I wasn't going to fight it. I listened to the voices – which seemed to belong to multiple people – carefully.

_Where did Jacob go? And Seth and Leah… Where are they all?_

_That's her. The one from before._

_What?_

I could imagine people running to me… and big furry things bigger than horses…

It was starting to make my head hurt. There were too many voices buzzing in my head. They all sounded confused, worried or curious.

_Is there another one?_

_I expected more, but this was supposed to be it._

Pushing the voices away, I tried to concentrate on my surroundings. I was lying facedown in the wet gravel. I could have moved if I wanted to, but I was a little too numb to care.

I held my breath. It felt… strange. Like I didn't _need_ to breathe, and I was just keeping my mouth closed for no reason. It seemed familiar….

My heart. I could pace it again. Stop it altogether. And it had nothing to do with my being alive or dead….

_I must be close to the vampires_. My strange heart nearly exploded with hope and happiness. They were here! _So close!_

_Start on a good note,_ I reminded myself. I breathed in and out, and made my heart beat normally – at least, normal for someone who was lying in the dirt for who knows how long. I strained my ears to hear around me. I did hear voices – very faint voices.

"Bella, stay here with Renesmee. Alice, Jasper, we have to go," a male voice said urgently.

"Where's Jacob?" someone asked. "If you're going where he is, I'm coming with you."

"We don't know what it is, Ness," a third person explained. "Just stay here, and we'll make sure Jacob gets back quickly."

"Fine."

Three sets of feet ran toward me. My fingers curled around the dirt when I heard what sounded like giant, thudding paws. Great. Three vampires and… three giant wolves were coming to get me. I hoped the vampires would reach me first….

I kept myself frozen. My eyes stayed shut, and the only movement I made was my breathing – which might not have been necessary at all.

Something wet touched my hand. I still didn't move when it nudged me again.

_It's a human,_ one of the voices said. _Not a vampire – she's alive. Barely._

_Do you think someone will bite her…?_

_Let's hope not. I think my nose is scarred for life._

_Shut up Leah._

_Don't you tell me to shut up!_

I heard two low growls beside me.

"Stop arguing," someone mumbled. "Jacob, Renesmee wants you to go home. She's already worrying about you."

All three wolves disappeared, their steps fading into the forest quickly.

The vampires knelt down at the same time. One of them was closer than the others – they touched my hand lightly.

"She's awake," a chirpy voice said. "She'll know all our names when she sees us…."

_She's seen us before,_ she finished silently.

"I know you can hear me," the first one said.

"I know you know I can hear you," I whispered back.

"What's your name?"

I was at a loss. I didn't remember anything about myself now: my reflection was gone, my name a million years away… I searched for those things for six minutes, struggling so hard my head hurt. My fingers moved around the gravel under me – a cool, hard hand pulled mine away from the dirt. My fingers curled around that hand, seeking reassurance.

"I don't know," I choked. My useless breathing was uneven, and it made my whole body ache. "I don't know my name! What do I look like? Where am I…?"

I opened my eyes – I didn't expect what I saw.

Someone – a certain someone I recognized somehow – was about half a foot away from my face. He was strangely perfect – the exact reincarnation of the person I had seen before – except I had never seen him in my entire life….

"Edward?" I asked. "Edward Cullen?"


	4. Chapter 4

**4. Crash**

I felt the shock and stress emanating from Edward, and something else trying to cover it up. I lifted my head minutely, wiping the dirt off my left cheek.

Edward suddenly looked irritated. "Where are you from?" he asked me rather harshly. I was surprised by his hostility. Carefully, I found his ability to read minds.

"I'm… um… I'm from Italy," I managed to mumble. "Volterra, Italy."

Someone helped me sit up. I turned to see a tall, thin blonde – whom I knew as Jasper – and a tiny black-haired girl who was Alice. I registered their abilities: he could control emotions, she could see the future.

"And you're human?" Edward pressed on.

"Yes, I'm human," I replied confidently. "So is Gianna."

"You're with the Volturi," he said, looking me over. Wonderful – I was still wearing my deep grey robe, and I had just mentioned a person who worked for the Italian Vampire Mafia.

"I _was_. You could say I… got sick of them. They were always so negative towards me…. I know, I know, I've been with them since before I could remember…" I trailed off, unable to say any more. Instead, I showed Edward what had happened a few days ago in Italy.

He was silent for a while I ran through my conversation with Gianna, and the events shortly after. He smiled slightly when I remembered using Jane's powers against her, seeing the shocked faces around me….

"Yeah, well…" I muttered. "Can I move? I'm pretty uncomfortable right now."

Edward glanced at Alice, who nodded slightly. Jasper sent a small wave of calm towards Edward, and he helped me stand up. I wobbled, and Alice caught me before I even leaned to one side.

"Maybe you should carry her," she suggested. Edward shrugged and picked me up like a sack of flour. I laughed, and behind us, Alice smiled. Jasper ran ahead – probably going to tell everyone that I was coming. We followed quickly behind, Edward making sure he ran no faster than Alice.

We reached the giant white house in less than a minute. My head throbbed when I felt the presences inside. Many of them had interesting powers: control of the elements, for one.

I was able to walk right away. We passed through a big door. It felt like the room around me was vibrating, my head was pounding so hard. Projecting currents, thoughts, pictures, sensing others' abilities, a shield, a lie-detector…

I barely saw all the people – vampires, and something else – in the bright, white room. Alice looked at me in total panic.

My mind was too overwhelmed. I couldn't tell her I was okay – I shut down right there, unconscious before I hit the floor.

__________

"Shouldn't you have known that would happen?"

"I'm sorry; it's a little hard to concentrate with twenty vampires making hunting arrangements in the same room."

"Okay, I'll give you that. We know she's not dangerous, so I'm gone."

"Be sure to tell them to stay clear for a while."

I knew I had heard both of those voices before: the first was from before, when I thought I was going crazy – it only turned out that when I had caught up with Edward's mind-reading that I heard Jacob Black's thoughts. The second voice was, of course, Alice.

"Wake up," Edward said, nudging me with his foot.

"I _am_ awake," I muttered.

The sky was dark above me. It felt like it should be only a short while after sunset, or before sunrise. I was lying on grass – I rolled over so I was in between lying on my side and lying on my back. I waved grandly, and someone chuckled behind me. I turned some more to see a pretty brunette, standing with Edward. I grasped that she was the shield I had sensed earlier – Bella Cullen.

"I passed out, right?" I said. "Maybe I should've told you I don't take well to crowds…"

"No doubt," Edward said. "You're strange, you know that? Your breathing and heartbeat weren't normal."

"I know." I fervently hoped I wouldn't have to explain this too many times. "Being human, living with vampires, being able to change myself to fit better with people around me… Well, it helps a lot. I pace them so I can be comfortable and hidden. Call it an instinct." I saw myself in a tiny puddle beside me. I fiddled with my hair colour, changing it from black to brown to blonde, and back to brown. I hid my freckles, and made my eyes a golden-hazel-brown.

"Smart," he acknowledged, nodding. "It's not very helpful when someone's trying to see if you're alive, though. We didn't know what to do…."

I still had a small headache, and I didn't bother to see what Edward was thinking. I waved my hand, telling him to continue. After half a minute, he still hadn't.

"You _were_ awake earlier," Bella told me, "for about ten seconds. We had to get Jasper to make sure you were actually alive."

It made sense – knowing emotions was a good way to check for life if someone's heart wasn't beating.

I laughed – sort of a half-laugh, actually – and rolled back onto my back.

"Do I have a name?" I asked. I didn't expect a _yes_, but I sincerely hoped I wouldn't hear _no_. I looked up at Edward and Bella sadly.

"Well, you must have a name," Edward teased. Bella elbowed him. "Sorry, I just mean, you have a name… we just don't know it yet."

"Would you like us to think of a name for you?" Bella offered. "At least, until you remember yours. Alice is good at that."

I didn't particularly like the idea of people I barely knew _naming_ me, but I also didn't like _not_ having a name. I got to my feet, shrugged and stretched, nearly falling over after being so comfortable lying down.

Strangely anxious, I let Edward and Bella lead me back to the house.


	5. Chapter 5

**5. Re-Entering**

"Are you sure you'll be okay this time?" Alice asked me again. "Really, if you don't think you can take it, that's fine –"

"_I'm fine_," I told her. She had asked me the same thing every thirty-six seconds. It was starting to really bug me, and I told her that.

"She's not trying to bug you," Edward said. "She just wants you to be in a good mental state." Whatever that meant.

I nodded as if I understood. Bella went inside after explaining something I didn't hear, and Alice went to follow her. She opened the door a crack, and then turned back to us.

"They won't be happy when you tell them," she told Edward, who shrugged. "You're fine now, but you will be _so_ stressed in a few minutes, and I don't think I'll bail you out. But apparently I will."

I stood confused as she slipped through the door silently. I thought about what she said for a few seconds before I realized she was talking about me. People wouldn't be happy when they learned I was with the Volturi….

_Beautiful,_ I thought. _Just perfect._

Edward laughed beside me. I turned my head slightly.

"What's so funny?" I asked monotonously.

"You," he replied. "You're so worried about being judged. And you already forgot Alice is psychic." He towed me to the door – I struggled, afraid to go inside. He chuckled again and pulled me along as if I wasn't there at all.

"Would you all mind concentrating on something other than your powers for a while?" Alice called inside. "Anything else, just keep your thoughts away from that for ten minutes. Okay? Good."

On queue, Edward opened the door, and I froze.

My head ached as I counted the vampires in the Cullen house. Dozens of names, abilities and endless information came flowing through my mind. It wasn't long before I knew everything about everyone.

I swayed dizzily and sat down on the floor. The room was quiet of external noises, but inside their minds, everybody was trying to think of not thinking at all. I shut my eyes and put my hands on my head. Thoughts slowly changed to ones of concern for my mental health – I might have felt good if I wasn't in so much pain.

I sat there clutching my head for nearly ten minutes. Nobody said anything, and I was glad for that. I didn't need to hear any more than what I was hearing now.

Slowly and carefully, I got to my feet. I kept my eyes shut tight, but it didn't hold me back. I could see myself through everyone else's eyes – which, I had to admit, was a bit disorienting. I lowered my hands and opened my eyes.

They seemed to be from all around the world: Ireland, Egypt, Brazil, Alaska…

Some people turned away when they saw I was okay, but the others just watched me, afraid I was going to break down again. I was fine though – I'd made it through the hard part, and I felt better. I looked around again, noting which powers belonged to which vampires.

I could tell if someone was lying – courtesy of a little Irish vampire named Maggie. Another vampire in that coven could will things into reality – her name was Siobhan. One Egyptian named Benjamin could control the elements. _Sweet._ There were three big vampires from the Amazons, and one, whose name was Zafrina, could make people see anything, or nothing at all – illusions of the mind. An Alaskan named Kate projected a sort of electric current through her body that could disarm someone for just the right amount of time. A last Alaskan could sense peoples' abilities – but I didn't really need Eleazar's help with something I could already do.

"Um… hi," I said after I gathered my thoughts enough to speak. They just stared. "What are they looking at?" I whispered to Edward, quiet enough so even vampires couldn't hear.

"They're looking at you," he said, expecting it to be obvious. "You look familiar to them. And us. There's another witness who looks exactly like you. He's not here right now," he said when I began to search. He rolled his eyes. "He'll be back in a few weeks."

"_Weeks_? Wait… he? That seems significant."

"It might be."

Alice flitted to my side then. She immediately began a tour of the giant house, leading me through the big group of vampires who still watched me.


	6. Chapter 6

**6. Twins**

_Did you hear me?_ Alice asked. _I said he's here. Come out and see him._

I looked up, confused. How could Edward concentrate on anything when he heard what everyone was thinking all the time? And for over a hundred years? Craziness.

Carefully setting my Beatles LPs on the shelf – in order of release – I showed her that I was coming.

__________

I stood, absolutely shocked, staring at what seemed to be the male incarnation of _me_. He looked at me with the same awe. We wore identical expressions, stood in the same surprised pose, and seemed to be thinking exactly the same thing.

_Who is that?_

It was silent in the dawn around us. The sun was starting to rise over the mountains.

Bella and Edward had introduced me to Renesmee after Alice's tour nearly a month ago. Renesmee was their half-human-half-vampire daughter born seven years previously, just before Edward changed Bella. It was hard to believe she looked eighteen after seven years of life….

She was the one who found this familiar stranger and introduced us. Now she stood with us on the dewy spring grass, a little bored.

"It's been ten minutes," she complained, playing with her bronze curls. I reluctantly looked away from my almost-twin to see her chocolate brown eyes look towards the forest behind us, as if there were something there. "Can we get a tornado to bring you back? 'Cause I'll go get Benjamin. Seriously."

Since my arrival a month ago, I really got to know some of the witnesses, as they called them. After a while, I came to realize that I was so very_ different_.

When I met Eleazar – the one who sensed abilities – he looked at me like I was some extinct or fictional _thing_ that had come to life. I knew he was a little stressed to see the two certain things about me: one, I could sense abilities like him, and two, that I could harness them like no one he'd ever seen before. He immediately became interested in what I had to say about the stolen powers, and how they affected me.

But I wasn't _that_ different: Renesmee had an ability that, for some reason, reminded me of my own.

Edward could read minds, and Bella was a shield, protecting herself from any interference that had to do with the mind. Renesmee could project her thoughts to other people, and could break through any shield – which seemed to be the exact opposite of what her parents did separately.

"Did you ever find out your name?" Renesmee asked curiously, pulling me back to the present.

"Um… uh, no," I replied, turning back to my male reflection. "Alice named me Loreli…. I like it, actually…. She called me Lori for a while, too…."

"I like it, too," almost-me said, seeming capable of speech now. He blew the messy brown hair away from his face to reveal the strange, gold eyes the Cullens and the Denalis had. I was still getting used to the fact that there were vampires without red eyes; it caught me off guard most of the time.

"Do you, now?" Renesmee said, surprised. "Alice practically named you, too, so don't say anything bad about her skills." She pushed her hair behind her shoulders impatiently. She sat down cross-legged on the grass.

"What's your name, then?" I asked, sitting down at the same time.

"It's nice and common. I'm Cameron. Alice said it couldn't be Cam – it _had_ to be Cameron." He rolled his eyes. "I think I have a right to _my_ name, seeing as my _mom_ named me, not Alice…."

"Who would call Edward by Ed or Eddie? That's just disgusting. You fit your name –"

I pulled a small gasp and closed my eyes. I could usually control what was happening with my numerous abilities, but it seemed that Alice saw any choices, all the time….

It was a strange vision. I was standing against the wall in a black room, and all I could feel other than the wall was… burning.

Almost as soon as it came, it was gone. I was sucked back to the present, and Renesmee and Cameron were looking at me funny. I looked straight at Cameron.

"Don't – you – _dare_," I muttered, and the expression on his face told me he knew he was found out. I stood up and pointed at him. "If you _do_ dare, I will know." I tapped my temple and turned to walk back towards the house.

He followed quickly behind me and started talking. "You know, I can sense abilities too. And what I'm sensing is funny, because you haven't even noticed _my_ ability."

"I did sense your ability," I countered. "You _don't_ sense abilities, people just freak out when they find out what you do. Which is one thing I can do – change appearance."

"Not that."

__________

I looked up at him, and we stopped walking simultaneously. He stepped back so he was standing about four feet away from me.

Alice must have seen something coming, because soon every vampire was surrounding us in a big circle. They started whispering, but their thoughts got jumbled up with their words, and it was hard to hear. I shook my head, not comprehending what was coming. Cameron tensed, ready to attack, and I followed suit.

"You know, this isn't a fair fight," I complained, "if you're a vampire, and I'm a human."

"_You_ know, it's totally fair," he said. He flipped his palm up and shook a finger at me. "Come on," he teased.

"Okay," I agreed, hitting him with the full force of Jane's illusion of pain. He crumpled quickly, and I lifted it after ten seconds.

"Not bad," he complimented, wiping grass off his now dirty face. "I _think_ I can do better, though." He put his palm forward.

I was suddenly pushed backwards by a huge force. The group split as I flew past them, slamming into the house with a huff and a cough. I felt tiny crumbles fall away from the hard wall. He chuckled as I stood up and shook my head. I was totally in pain, and it was definitely not an illusion. I shot back to the circle and contemplated.

He wasn't physically attacking me. It was still an attack, but in the mind.

_Okay,_ I thought, _shields. Renata's against the attack, Bella's against the illusion._

I set myself up with the shields surrounding me and tensed again.

"That's not fair," Edward scolded me from the front line of the audience. "You have to at least give him a chance." He smirked, and I nearly fell over.

_Right. _He could read minds… oh well. Cameron would figure it out quickly.

Edward chuckled and shrugged when Cameron gave him a searching look.

"Try again," I said. "I'm on it, now."

"If you say so…"

He tried to push me again, but it was unsuccessful. I felt a tiny force in my stomach, like a poke, but I didn't budge. I grinned, and he realized what I had done.

"Too bad," he said annoyingly, snapping his fingers.

"Oh, shucks!" I said in the same tone. "Dumbass," I muttered, turning away.

"I heard that."

"So did I."

Everyone – including me – laughed, and I imagined myself floating away on my own personal wind stream. There were a few problems with that idea, but it was nice to know I at least had an imagination.

"And an interesting one, if you don't mind me adding," Edward added, following me into the now-empty house. "You seem to be bi-polar."

"Yeah, probably," I said. I heard the crowd disperse behind us, with Cameron complaining to Renesmee about my being unfair.

"It must be hard, having to deal with Aro's enthusiasm for years."

"You start to ignore their crap after a while. The Italian Vampire Mafia is not as scary as people think. I don't understand how Chelsea can keep them all together, there's so many levels of _'shut up, you're pissing me off'_, y'know? Especially Jane, she imagined eating me numerous times…."

I kept talking until I was out of breath – which was when I drew in another one and continued. Edward followed me upstairs, listening to my every word. It made me happy to know he cared at all, instead of being a little irritated by my constant complaining.

"…And what's with freaking Marcus? I mean, sure, Aro killed Didyme, but shouldn't he have gotten over it after a couple years?"

"Definitely not," Edward answered sternly. "A human might, but a vampire would not. You'll understand someday soon. And how did you know that?"

"When you pick up abilities, you can use them against their owners. I have enough dirt to break up the Volturi. _After_ I get rid of Chelsea, though…."

"Hmm." Edward seemed to think about something for a minute. Then he abruptly changed the subject. "Everyone's going hunting today, so you'll get some peace and quiet for sleeping."

"Sometimes I hate being alive," I mumbled, opening the door to my new – or first – bedroom. "It's weird, though…. I never got tired in Italy. But here, it feels like a caffeine crash."

"How would you know what a caffeine crash feels like?" he laughed.

I gave him the look, like _I've been there_. I said goodnight, and he left me at the door. I walked in and pulled my nice, clean, bulky cloak off.

Alice had cleaned everything I had, including the Volturi's cloak – which technically wasn't mine anymore – and had bought me a whole closet-full of new clothes, including the warm rabbit pyjamas I instantly fell in love with. That was when she went back and bought me four more pairs in different colours. I was actually wearing bright orange ones right now.

I had inherited a full bedroom, complete with lots of music, a black leather couch and lots of books. I would greatly enjoy the music and the books… I wasn't so fond of couches.

There were tons of CDs, some opened but never played, and some played over and over. I had already heard a huge variety in my travels, and that variety sometimes had a negative effect: one could say I knew every word in the book from the crap other people listened to. I hadn't had a chance to read, but I was sure it would be the same.

I heaved a sigh and plopped down on the couch. I could sleep on the thing, but it didn't mean I _liked_ it. It had taken me a good half hour to convince Edward and Alice that I _did not _need a king-size bed…. Well.

It was light enough to see, considering the Window Wall. The Window Wall was just that – the whole south-facing side of the house was _window_. So… there wasn't really any _need_ for lights. The outside light accented the gold room beautifully.

I would have smiled, but I was too exhausted to move now. No sleeping for a week, then staying up all night getting to know vampires… I was prepared to sleep for well more than a day.

I shut my eyes against the sun's morning light, and didn't bother to open them again.


	7. Chapter 7

**7. Attacked**

I knew when the vampires had all left. I woke up when my body registered the sensory deprivation – I was seriously worn by their absence, having to revert to my normal human senses. I was half-awake all day, and now I couldn't see anything in my now-black room or hear anything outside it. The only light was that of the sliver of moon showing in the sky.

I could almost _feel_ a presence hovering near me. Not like a ghost, but like a person. If there _was_ someone there, they must have been concentrating on not thinking, which was extremely unlikely. I closed my eyes and leaned back deep in my pillow. Maybe, if I really tried, I could get over this stress and fall asleep.

Very close to unconsciousness, I was startled. It was disorienting… I could have _sworn_ I'd just felt air on my face. I didn't dare open my eyes for fear of what could be there. For all I knew, Jane had come to eat me at last. My heart skipped when I felt another brush of air pass my face. Was she pacing, deciding what to do…?

My breathing got a little faster – whoever was there would know I wasn't sleeping.

_Hurry up,_ I wanted to say, _if you're going to attack me, do it now!_

Maybe I was crazy for thinking someone was there. Maybe the person who could be there was still contemplating. Whatever option, I was scared. Me, the most dangerous human, scared of something that might not even exist. Sigh.

I took a deep breath, thinking about the possibility of it being my last.

__________

A cold hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me off the couch. I gasped as I fell back to the wall. I whimpered as I fought to get free unsuccessfully. The vampire had forced me into that one spot and it was all I could do to thrash and kick with my arms pinned to my sides.

One hand released my right arm for half a second, but it was long enough for me to pull back and hook them in the jaw.

My strength had not left with the hunting vampires – my attacker was thrown back, and my hand only tingled a bit. I took that advantage to bolt to the door. I wrenched it open, pulling it off the hinges in my attempt to escape. I tried to really run, but I was cut off.

I gasped, and stepped back. There was no light in the hall, and I wanted badly to know who was trying to kill me. I took another step back as they hesitated.

They didn't wait any longer, though. They ran at me, and I dived under their arm, going for the door again. Turning too quickly, they dove for my legs, pulling me down. The breath was knocked out of my lungs. I clawed at the carpet, trying to pull myself away.

_Why aren't you screaming?!_ I screeched to myself. I just couldn't find the breath _to_ scream. I was using it all to get away, but it was useless with the weight of the vampire.

They sat on my legs and grabbed my throat. I remembered something I was taught before, years and years ago – _bridge-arm-bridge-flip_.

I pushed my legs up, and they let go to steady themselves. I hugged their arm and pushed again, rolling towards it.

They caught up and kept the roll going until we hit the shelf. I felt it move, and shut my eyes as a mountain of records fell on me. I caught a brief glimpse of _Abbey Road_ as it snapped in half.

Strong, thin hands grabbed my neck again, pulling me up. I swore I could _feel_ hate from them.

It was strange that the last person I would think of was Jane. How it should have been Jane to eat me. Jane, the one who didn't appreciate me at all, Jane, the one who nearly attacked me every time I spoke…

"_You. Broke. My. RECORDS!_" I yelled in my attacker's face.

I threw the full force of Jane's illusion at my attacker. They were thrown off me, twitching on the ground. I struggled to get up, and a heard growls and hisses behind me.

_Don't bother, ignore everything, _I told myself, _they're angry you got away, just _run!

I ran straight with my eyes closed. I hoped I would run into someone I knew, but I knew they were all gone. Gone, gone, gone… leaving me alone….

There was a slight breeze as they ran past me. If they were going to cut me off at the stairs, so be it. I would plough right through them anyway.

"Stop!" a male voice yelled, and I registered it just as I ran into rough hands trying to keep me back.

We were flung down the spiral staircase, losing balance with every step. I hit the wall and flew farther down. Whoever tried to stop me rolled to the bottom before me, and he quickly got up and ran.

I finally flipped down the last of the stairs, feeling scared and in _pain_. I struggled to stay still, afraid of how it would feel to even open my eyes.

I tried to move my arm from underneath me. It sent a huge jolt of pain through me, and I nearly screamed. I could smell something strange – I couldn't quite figure out what it was, but I knew it shouldn't have been there. It reminded me of Italy, of danger… of death.

And that was happening to me. I could feel it. I was _dying_. I was dying, because I was randomly attacked, and by someone I probably knew. That voice at the top of the stairs had sounded familiar…. Oh, the stairs. I was only this bad off because I fell down the _stairs_. I was fine for running before then, and now I can't move without making a face….

"_Where is she_?!" Footsteps ran in, and then back out.

"You ass! What did you do to her?" Edward yelled. Why did it sound like he was yelling at someone he knew? It had to be – if he didn't know them, he would have killed them right away…. And that voice _had_ sounded familiar….

"_Cameron_," I hissed.


	8. Chapter 8

**8. Living**

I could sense the panic all around me. I tried to tap into Edward's mind, like he was trying to see mine. There was a strange feeling of anxiety emanating from him, and that made me nervous on top of everything else I was feeling.

He made a snap decision that was so surprising, I almost didn't respond.

Very gently, but very quickly, his hands pushed my head back. His teeth barely touched my neck before I told him to back off.

"You're going to _die_," he said urgently. "We need you, and I'm not going to let you die because of –"

"Shut up!" I hissed through clenched teeth. "Just _don't_ touch me, okay? I'll be fine; I just _need your help_." He started to object, but I cut him off. "Don't _argue_ with me! Don't you know _anybody_ who heals super-fast?" I finished impatiently.

"What?" Then, almost instantly, he seemed to realize what I meant. He sprinted from the house.

I was left – relatively alone – at the bottom of the stairs. I tried to turn my head and open my eyes, but I couldn't find the nerves to even twitch my eyelids. So I lay, seemingly paralyzed, waiting.

I counted to sixty before I heard them coming.

"What the hell happened?" Jacob Black's voice came directly to me. "Why didn't you bite her?"

Edward laughed bitterly. "I tried. She wouldn't let me. Plus, there was the second thought of the treaty…."

"She didn't _let_ you?" a female voice said, unbelieving. "Well, I'm only here so none of your _witnesses_ –" She said it with such _bitterness_ "– don't eat my brother."

"_I would greatly appreciate it if you came over here!_" I gasped. "Just stay here, and don't _leave!_" I heard five pairs of feet come to me hesitantly and sit down.

"Damn, your stairs are hard…" I moaned. "If I hadn't fallen three storeys I'd be _fine_…."

I heard a tiny scream from the direction of the door.

"Jacob, _what happened_?" Renesmee cried, running to the huddle. Her breathing was ragged as she lightly touched my forehead.

_Poor baby,_ I thought selflessly. _She's in so much _pain. _Because I'm in pain…_

"I'm okay," I mumbled. I found her hand and patted it. "I'm just in huge pain, and I think my left arm might be broken, but I'm good. As long as my super-healers are here, I'll be out and about in no time…."

_I hope…_ Slowly but surely, I would get better – I hoped. All I could do was hope for the best, right?

"Oh, wait…. Your arm's broken?" one of them asked.

"Mm-hm…"

I didn't realize my arm was over my stomach. Maybe it was one of those no-pain-all-numbness things. Or, maybe someone put it there. I moved it fractionally, so it wouldn't hurt that bad.

It _did_ hurt, but not broken-hurt. Just hurt.

"You'll be fine," I heard someone say. "You'll wake up in a few days."

_Wake up…? No. No, no, no, no, no-no-no-no, NO!_

I thought I heard a chuckle inside my mind as I fell into the dark, right on queue.


	9. Chapter 9

**9. Italian Vampire Mafia**

_My arm hurts,_ was the first thing I thought; the second was, s_o I'm not a vampire._

I noticed three other things: one, I could either turn off or ignore my bazillion abilities very well; two, I was infinitely aware that I was being watched; and three, I was about to do something relatively _stupid_ – which was to turn over.

I heard the _thunk_ before I realized I had fallen off the couch, on my face, on the floor.

"_Ow_," I said, opening my eyes. "Huh. It's really clean under there…."

There were slow claps around me, the kind that said _you're a huge idiot – congratulations._

"Hey. That's cruel and unusual punishment."

I stood up and turned back to the couch to see a huge Emmett sprawled lazily on it. He wore a goofy grin, seeming quite pleased with himself. I glared, then looked through the Window Wall, to the dewy grass outside.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, a little anxious. "Shouldn't they be here?"

Arms crossed loosely, I turned away from the window. Faces watched me carefully, almost like they were afraid I would faint: Emmett on the couch, Cameron sitting at the bottom of the stairs, Renesmee on the banister.

She hopped down, her waist-length curls bouncing. "They're coming," she said.

And I knew.

__________

"What are you doing?" Cameron yelled. "We have to _go_! Emmett already took Ness! They'll be there in half a minute!"

"Shut up!" I replied. "Renesmee and Emmett shouldn't have waited for me – none of you should have. Just go, I'll be there. _Where's my cloak?_" I rummaged around my golden room until I found the near-black blob. I yanked at it.

"Why do you want it? They'll expect you to go back if you have it!" He pulled it out of the duffel bag easily and gave it to me.

"I want to piss them off," I explained, slipping it on. I made sure I was covered, and then we ran from the room.

"We're not going to make it, even if we run," Cameron complained when we were outside. He ran anyway, and I followed him, not thinking about that.

"Stop," I breathed. He stopped when I did, and I grabbed his hand. "I've been practicing something for years – I got it down a few days ago. Think of _exactly_ where we're going – people and all." I opened my mind, and saw the recent memory of the clearing. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "Okay. Will it in…."

Quick as a hummingbird's wings, I crouched. There was a fraction of a second that felt like being underwater.

And then I stood straight again.

Cameron gasped beside me. I opened my eyes and saw that we were behind the line of witnesses. I smirked and walked to the empty space in the middle that had to be mine. Cameron came, shocked into near silence.

"How did you do that?" he breathed, eyes wide.

I let go of his hand and let out a small cough. "No idea. I did it though, didn't I?" He nodded blankly. "Okay."

My eyes roved through the crowd around me. The entire group of familiar witnesses, plus a few more vampires, and nineteen of those wolves that had found me the first day I was here. I knew two of them myself – Jacob Black was the russet coloured wolf standing with Bella, Edward and Renesmee down the line, and Seth Clearwater was the sandy brown one who seemed to really like the vampires.

At that moment, he came and sat on my other side, and I saw him flick his big brown tail at Cameron. A small smile showed on Cameron's face, and I scratched Seth's wolf head.

I took the time to look around. Alice stood with Jasper in front of us. The Egyptians were on our right. The Alaskans – and the nomad Garrett – were to our left. And the wolves were behind us….

"When are they coming?" I wondered out loud, staring into the forest around the clearing. The grass was wet on my thin runners under the heavy cloak.

No one answered. No one made any intended noise. They just stood and waited. I searched for any signs of approach, and found nothing out of the ordinary.

I decided to pop into peoples' memories, so I would know what to expect when they finally came.

_Fluidity_, in some minds. _Grace_. A too-calm group of vampires, witnesses backing them up – to the Vamp-Mafia, they were relatively useless.

_I can't believe her…._

A small hiss escaped my mouth when I heard Jane's thought, her presence getting closer and closer.

Edward and I tensed at the same time, prepared for their coming.


	10. Chapter 10

**10. Decided**

It was a few seconds before they actually showed up, but when they did, hate and violence flowed though me.

_I_ was never part of the succession. _I_ was never permitted to leave Italy. _I would never be part of that_.

They looked almost scary. A perfectly-shaped group, grey on the outside and getting darker until the deepest black in the center. They glided over the grass, and the mass unfolded like a dark flower. I saw some of the faces as they advanced a ways.

They stopped when there was about a hundred feet of space between both sides. I heard the intimidation in their minds – they didn't want to advance on the wolves.

Edward had said that the wives had come the first time. They weren't here now. I remembered what he said about their witnesses, but they didn't come either. It was our side against theirs – and they were grossly outnumbered.

Both sides stood in silence for what seemed like hours. Nobody spoke or moved or showed any sign of _wanting to_.

I felt Bella throw out her shield. I did my best to help, doubling that power, and using Renata's shield against her. Maybe a bit of sensory-deprivation to cover it, should they come closer…? The mist folded around our bubble, fully invisible when I made it stretch.

"Should I open this time, as well?" someone murmured ahead of me. I saw Edward nod slightly.

"No, you won't," I called, before I could stop myself. "I've got something to say."

All eyes – from both sides, vampire and wolf alike – turned to me. Some looked surprised; some looked frightened from my tone; one looked bored, but there was a shimmer in the eyes across the clearing.

I stepped forward carefully, towing Cameron with me. He followed easily, as if he were just another limb on my body – like a comb was to the fifties' guy. Seth stayed where he was, sitting on his big tan wolf bum. I made a small hole for us in the shield as we walked through into no-man's land, stopping a little closer to the Italian monsters than originally planned.

The worried thoughts behind me seemed like wind. Anger flowed through me, and there was nothing Jasper could do about it – I felt him trying to make me sane.

I let go of Cameron's arm. Involuntarily, I bowed my head slightly. Then I looked directly at the three darkest figures: Aro, Caius and Marcus.

I had thought about what I would say when I confronted them. But now, standing in front of them, my mind took a different course – first meeting.

"My name is Loreli," I said calmly. "This is my twin brother, Cameron. And _this_ –" I waved an arm behind me, "– is my family."

Aro's face showed a flicker of surprise, but it was smiling before a human would notice the fault. He said nothing, though, and no one supplied any conversation.

Two people came out of their line. Aro didn't look annoyed, Marcus still looked bored, and Caius looked greatly irritated – like old times.

_No!_ I commanded myself. _You are _not_ seeing the good in this!_

I knew one was relatively new. Their cloak was normal grey – the lowest "rank" in the Volturi guard. The second one was –

"_Demetri_?" I gasped, and I heard hisses from our side.

Demetri pulled the hood of his cloak down, and I was glad to see a small smile on his face. The other vampire removed their hood, and I ran to her.

"_Gianna_!" I cried, jumping into her arms. Her red eyes didn't throw me off at all – I knew this would be the second thing she asked for once I got Aro to see reason. "You're new! Who did it?"

"Demetri," she laughed in a beautiful new voice. "I asked, but no one volunteered, then he just came up behind me." She grinned. "I'm his now."

Demetri leaned closer to Gianna and smiled bigger. I gave him a high-five, ignoring the anger behind me.

_No time for making up,_ Edward reminded me. _Get to your point, so we can_.

_Right._

"So, Aro," I said, turning away from new Gianna and Demetri. "We all know you came for Renesmee, and you can easily see that she's grown and not killing people, so you can leave with your little posse, but not before Gianna and Demetri ask you something." I felt anger switch to surprise immediately on both sides. Even Marcus looked a little confused.

"Aro," Gianna said quietly, "she's right. We don't need to be here." She looked to Demetri, who nodded.

"Excuse me! I think I should get to speak for myself!" Renesmee walked gracefully to my side, Jacob-wolf beside her. Some of the guard recoiled and hissed.

"Hello, dear child," Aro said cheerily. "It's so nice to see you again!"

"Nice to see you, too," she said politely. I heard Maggie snicker at the lie.

I nearly freaked out when she shook Aro's hand, as if she didn't know what he could do. After a second, though, I realized she meant to show him her thoughts.

He didn't try to spend time seeing her history; she let go quickly.

"Where is your Nahuel?" he asked, probing through our group. "Is he not here?"

"No," I said. "I think Renesmee can explain for herself, don't you? Besides, you can't make someone _belong_ to anyone else."

Aro hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Yes, of course."

Cameron fell back, pulling me with him. We settled back to our places and turned back to the Volturi and Renesmee and Jacob.

"We don't need to even discuss it, Aro," Demetri muttered. "She's done nothing. We can leave."

_Why hasn't Caius said anything?_ I asked Edward.

_Gianna told him to shut up,_ he replied. _He listened._

_Are they going to "think about it"? Or are they just going to leave?_

_You'll be surprised._

I sincerely hoped I wouldn't be.


	11. Chapter 11

**11. Psychotics**

Aro was listening. I knew he could see everything around him, and Renesmee was showing her life in his mind. Her fine hand was barely touching his, but it didn't matter.

Out of curiosity, I looked at Caius. He looked far more than irritated now, but he said nothing. In normal circumstances, I would have found that funny – but now was time to be serious.

Renesmee pulled her hand back, and Aro smiled. It was his normal over-happy smile that he wore when he was delaying.

I saw Bella's shield cover Renesmee again, and I expanded mine. Everything inside it glowed very faintly gold and silver, but it looked real enough that I barely saw it. I concentrated on the vampires – and half-vampire and wolf – farther in front of me.

Jacob looked horribly uncomfortable. His russet fur stood on end, and he looked ready to attack. It looked like Renesmee's hand was the only thing holding him down.

_He also doesn't want anything to happen to Ness,_ Edward said. _He's a good kid._

I nodded to myself and flipped through other thoughts – some of which were surprising.

Aro wanted to leave. He didn't see any reason to stay, but he wanted to, for a reason I didn't know. Caius was boiling, but he wasn't looking for a fight. I skipped Marcus and smirked at the hostility in Jane's thoughts and the intimidation in Alec's.

Everyone was subconsciously thinking the same thing: _be good._

_Gianna told them to be good? She's pretty pro at this already, isn't she?_

_They know what you can do – that's only half of it._

_Still!_

"I see no reason to confer," Aro announced. "Time to go."

"That was direct," I muttered, and Cameron snickered. Seth gave a wolfy laugh that sounded like a cough.

"I hope to see everyone again soon," Aro said cheerfully. "It's too bad we couldn't stay and visit, but we do have a city to watch over…."

"Hold it!" I called. I ran through the crowd and stood in front of Aro. "Did you forget something?" I looked to Gianna and Demetri, who seemed to be waiting to say something.

Gianna spoke – for both of them. Her eyes were the exact opposite of the colour they'd been before, and now they were determined. "I wanted to be part of this for years, but now that I am, I don't like it. I don't like being an unjust killer. I know what I want, and I want _out_." She smiled at me. "I want to be with Lo and her family."

"I second that," Demetri said for clarification.

Every other member of the guard wore shock on their faces. As usual, Aro was the quickest to recover.

"Are you certain about this?" he asked calmly, trying not to be disturbed.

"Positive," they said.

"Well… that is your choice. You can stay here. Please visit sometimes."

_What a _con! I thought. _He used the same crap on me!_

"You can go now," Demetri said.

"Goodbye then, friends!" Aro called, waving.

Their pretty flower formed again, minus two, and floated back into the woods before I realized they were leaving at all.

__________

_What are you doing?! _Edward exclaimed.

_Oh, grow up. I know him better than you do._

_He's a murderer, and he deserves to live miserably with them._

I wheeled to face Edward, who was now right behind me.

"_Do you want to be a hypocrite?_" I yelled. "They're _my_ friends, and I say they can come if they _want_ to! If you've got a _problem_ with that, tell it to the fist!" I balled my fingers up, and I could see how threatening I actually looked – my hair was bright red, my eyes bright green, and my cheeks were flushed. I looked insane.

"As a matter of fact, I _do_ have a problem with that," he replied, grabbing both my hands so I couldn't punch him. "If you want them here, you can go."

Instinctually, I pulled my knee back fiercely and jabbed him in the stomach. He barely moved, and he put his feet on mine, so I couldn't move it all.

"Don't _make_ me come up there," I hissed. An icy wind blew around me, and I realized _I _was making it swirl. I dropped it, and little ice pellets fell on me.

"Fix this," he snapped, taking a step away from me.

I backed away, still tense.

_I am _not_ changing my mind. Gianna was like my sister, and Demetri was like my brother. Would you disown Alice and Jasper? Or Emmett and Rosalie?_

_I COULD DISOWN _YOU! Edward fumed.

"Want me to go?" I yelled. "Fine! I'll go out with a bang!"

Cameron, Jacob and Renesmee had moved back across the field. I stood facing Edward, and Demetri and Gianna were an arm's length behind me. There was no way I would let anyone hurt them.

"Don't," I heard Alice say quietly. "You know you don't want to…."

_Oh, but I do,_ I thought.

"If you're leaving, just _go_," Edward said. "And take your brother with you." He glared at Cameron for a fraction of a second, then turned his gold eyes on me. "Go, then."

"Want me to go, I'll go," I said dangerously.

I focused all my concentration on my self. I changed my scent – none of them would ignore me….

Edward's face went blank, either when I thought that, or when he registered the change. Out of the corners of my eyes, I saw other vampires stiffen, and the wolves cringe, and Cameron's eyes widen in shock.

I picked up a sharp stick from the ground and placed the tip directly over the vein in the crease of my elbow. I tilted the stick towards Edward and said, "Want me to go? You do the honours."

They were shocked into silence. No one objected, but no one agreed. They stood, eyes wide, waiting….

I thrust the stick into Edward's hand, keeping my elbow lined with the end. "Hurry up," I said. "You want them gone. I say they're not leaving until I do. The reverse psychology is killing you, isn't it?"

I closed myself off then. I didn't use any special abilities after I heard the word _No_ in every mind. Maybe… I let myself hear a little bit.

_I will not do it,_ Edward thought. He didn't move the stick, knowing I would just move my arm. _Don't be like that. I'm sorry…._

_It's funny, because you're not,_ I replied. _I'll back off when you – _all of you – _agree to let them stay._

_I can't convince them._

_Oh well, then. _I pushed my elbow into the stick, and Edward backed up again.

"Stop it," he whispered. He pulled the stick away quickly, but I grabbed it and put it to my wrist. "You won't do it."

"But I will," I said quietly, putting pressure on my wrist. "You don't know much about me, do you? That's also funny, because the only people who know remotely anything about me are Demetri and Gianna. And they know what I do when I get in a very bad mood." I pushed my wrist more, so the stick made an indent in the vein. "Time's a-wasting."

"I know enough to know you're _insane_," he rushed. "If you're willing to do this to protect your family, you'd have to be."

I dropped my hand and Edward lowered the stick.

"Did you see that?" I said. "You even said it. They're my _family_, and there's nothing you or anyone else can do about it." I smirked, and I knew I won the fight. Turning to the witnesses, I called, "_Disperse!_" and waved my hands.

Slowly but surely, many of them left. The only ones that remained were Cameron, Bella, Renesmee, Jacob, Seth, and two others – and they all stayed a hundred feet away.

"Will you admit that you said it?" I asked after a minute of silence. "That they _are_ my family?"

Edward sighed – a sigh of relief. "I guess… you're right. But that doesn't mean I have to like Demetri."

I jumped and hugged him and turned to hug Gianna and Demetri.

"The feeling's mutual," Demetri said. "Can we agree to disagree?"

There was a split second of thought, and then Edward said, "Sure. Agree to disagree." And they shook hands.

"Two bro-as and a sis-ta?" Cameron said behind me.

"I guess so," I replied. I leaned backwards, and he caught my shoulders. "You take the fun out of everything you know that?"

He pulled his hands away quickly. I fell, and he pointed and laughed.


	12. Chapter 12

**12. Random Facts**

"You didn't say anything about her being suicidal," Edward muttered.

"She wouldn't have actually done it," Cameron replied, rolling his eyes. "She'd keep going till you agreed – she wouldn't throw a life away life that, she's too scared of pain."

He chuckled, and Edward looked at him quizzically. "I don't get it," he said flatly.

I sighed, falling onto the couch. "I'm scared of pain – physical and emotional. Which means I'm afraid of death, because I think it would hurt me physically, and it would hurt other people emotionally.

"That also leads me to be afraid of living, because I have to deal with physical and emotional pain my whole life. If I didn't, we'd be in some kind of alternate universe, and something else would probably suck."

I looked to the guys, expecting some smart-ass remark. None came, and they both looked at me like I'd just said I was going to eat one of them.

"I also know why the chicken crossed the road," I said casually.

"Really?" Cameron said, switching to the next subject easily. "You've been putting it together for almost eight years.… We _are_ seventeen now, right? At least, you are…."

"How'd you come by that?" Edward asked sitting on the arm of the couch. "Even I haven't gotten it yet."

I clapped my hands and rubbed them together. "Okay, so you know how the chicken had his motives questioned when he crossed the road? They say he was going to get to the 'other side'. So, my theory is, whether he makes it or not, he gets to the other side!

"Scenario one: chicken doesn't die and makes it across the road. Therefore, he is on the 'other side' of the road. Scenario two: chicken dies. What do people say when someone dies? 'See you on the _other side_'. So, he dies, and he goes to the 'other side'.

"So, no matter what happens to said chicken, he makes it to the 'other side', whether it means the _road_, or _life itself_." I finished up dramatically, and Cameron applauded.

"Genius," Edward complimented. "How did you put that together?"

"Well…" I thought. "I was watching this movie that reminded me of this book I read and in the movie someone died and I thought about a character in the book that died and I remembered other characters saying that and I just happened to think of Chicken."

They blinked simultaneously, either confused or speechless.

"You're just jealous," I said. "And you know what, while I'm busting quotes, I might as well call myself Betty, declare this bridge _open_ and call you swine." I smiled to myself. Edward shook his head and walked past his piano to the front door.

"Beatles," he muttered, walking out.

"What's with him?" I asked with a perfect British accent.

Emmett walked in the door and crossed the room. "You're almost as annoying as me," he said, entering the kitchen.

Cameron rolled his eyes again and spoke in the same British way. "He's being overdramatic. He doesn't like The Beatles, and you're starting to bug him. Or maybe he's actually doing something outside…."

"You know, _Polythene Pam_ was a person? Except I think her name was Pat. They called her that because she would eat polythene – which was stuff from plastic bags."

"I know."

"The first time I saw it, I thought polythene was a drug. It just made sense, right? But then I looked it up and it's not."

"I know…."

"_Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds_ isn't about LSD, either. It was from a picture Julian – John's son – drew when he was a kid."

"I'm leaving now." He got up and walked to the stairs.

"_Hey Jude_ was originally _Hey Jules_!" I called as he disappeared. "Paul bought his violin bass because it was cheap, and he loved it! Ringo Starr is actually Richard Starkey –"

"Who are you talking to?" Renesmee said from the top of the stairs. She slid down the rail and sprawled on the floor. I joined her, sitting against the arm with her head near my knees.

"I was talking to _Cam_ and _Ed_," I told her, emphasizing the annoying names. "They both left me while I was telling them about The Beatles."

"Like?"

I thought. "_Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!_ was from this old circus poster that John had. It even had the names of the Fair, and Mr. Kite, and the Hendersons, et cetera. Sinatra always said John and Paul composed _Something_, but it was George. Ringo wrote two songs – that's all…"

Renesmee stared at me thinking I was a stalker in my past life. She looked a bit like a lemur, because her eyes looked so wide and disbelieving.

"… and four of George's songs were split so there was one on each of the four sides of the _White Album_." I finished with a huff, and Renesmee applauded sarcastically.

"You have just reached the level of _stalker_," she said. "And I almost forgot – your _Abbey Road _got destroyed, along with _Please Please Me _and I think _Revolver_."

I felt ready to cry. "I saw _Abbey Road_ break in half. He… well, it was half my fault, but he rolled us into the shelf and I _saw_ it. It was almost as bad as seeing a person die…. I attacked him."

Renesmee frowned. "Did Cameron ever tell you who it was?" she asked.

Instead of talking, I touched her forehead and told her that way.

_He never actually _told_ me. I saw it though…. Caius and Jane sent him to finish me off. He wasn't supposed to go back until he found me. Maybe they thought he didn't find me at all, I wouldn't know. His name was… Andrew. He was younger than me – biologically and physically. He was fifteen, but he was bitten at fourteen…._

I could feel a small wave of sadness go through Renesmee.

_Poor guy, _she thought. _He never got what was coming to him._

_He would've been good on our side, but Cameron decided to kill him._

_For trying to kill you!_

_Cameron helped a bit, though. He could've saved me from the stairs._

In that, at least, we agreed.


	13. Chapter 13

**13. News**

"_What?_" I nearly screeched.

Alice rolled her eyes. "You heard me – you're going back to school _today_. We've already set everything up for you and Cameron, so you have no choice now."

"But I don't know _how_!" I complained, throwing my hands in the air. Everybody seemed quite entertained by my stress – especially Jasper, who was sitting on the rail of the stairs. There was a small smile on his face, and he didn't try to calm me down at all.

I was perched on Edward's grand piano, my feet sitting on the stool. I felt relatively alone, since mostly everyone else in the room was paired up: Renesmee and Jacob, Edward and Bella, Alice and Jasper… and then Cameron, who was sitting on the floor below me.

I touched the top of his head lightly and thought, _Is it just me, or do you feel alone?_

He looked up at me sadly, and my fingers hit his nose. He looked like a male upside-down me. _It's not just you,_ he thought. I could tell he was in pain. _Today shouldn't be a good day or you and me._

_Why? What happened? _I looked away to the other people in the room. Alice was on the stairs beside Jasper, and both of them suddenly looked thoughtful and sad. Wanting reassurance, I looked at Edward and Bella by the window. Edward looked down when I looked directly at him, and it nearly made me cry.

"What's wrong?" Renesmee asked before I could.

"You don't need to know," Jacob said quietly. "It's not nice."

They were sitting in the kitchen doorway, and they looked like total opposites. Jacob was really big with russet coloured skin, and his hand looked twice as big as my face. Renesmee was small and pale beside him, and I couldn't see her hand inside Jacob's. He was wearing a simple grey t-shirt and shorts, and she was bright and colourful. He had messy black hair and hers was perfect and curly…. They were a strange couple.

"What is it?" I begged. "I want to know…."

I jumped off the piano. My feet hit the floor lightly, and I turned and kneeled in front of Cameron. A normal human could easily see his hair turn black and his eyes go grey – now I knew it happened when we were depressed. I looked at myself in the reflection of the piano, and saw that my hair and eyes were dark too.

_It was _that _bad? _I asked Cameron.

_You don't even know what it was. And you don't want to. Especially the details…._

_But I do. _I turned to sit right beside him. _Did someone die today…?_

"Yes," he said out loud, looking through the Window Wall at nothing in particular.

I looked at just the right time – the sun blew up from the horizon, and everything was yellow for a fraction of a second. I blinked.

I could almost _hear_ the vampires sparkle. There were thousands – millions – of tiny diamonds reflected all around the white room. No one seemed to care or notice, except Jacob, who smiled as Renesmee glowed – it wasn't quite a sparkle, but a glow that was so colourful that it was white. My skin shimmered faintly… like the walls.

"Don't feel bad," Jacob said as Jasper threw some happy at us that bounced right off me. "I'm not sparkly like these fruitcakes."

"Thanks, Jake," Bella said, monotone.

"No problem!"

I stared at the floor, and I sensed Cameron do the same. Jasper tried to make us happy again.

"Do you mind?" I snapped at him. "I'm aware that we aren't even willing to be happy. Why should that matter to you?"

"He's putting you in a bad mood," Jasper said calmly. "And it matters to _us_ that both good moods and bad moods are contagious. You're making us depressed, and it's not fun."

"I'll get myself though the day!"

"Will you?" He said it with a hint of sarcasm, as if daring me to argue. He was sparkling too much for me to actually take him seriously.

I changed the subject. "Is Renesmee coming with us?"

We all turned to Renesmee expectantly, and she sighed.

"I think I'm going to run today," she said. "I'll be there before you will, either way."

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Time to go," Alice said, suddenly holding two big backpacks. She tossed a purplish one to me and a reddish one to Cameron. "Every book for every subject this semester will be waiting in the office with your schedules. There are five periods in a day, either seventy-five or eighty minutes long. It's easy to get around the buildings; they're tiny." She rushed out the door, knowing we were following her – unwillingly. "Don't do anything stupid like Emmett – a whole wall had to be replaced a few years ago because he threw a ball of ice across the cafeteria."

"Hm," I mumbled.

"Cheer up, or I'll make Jasper follow you around," Alice threatened. She was half a foot shorter than me, and she didn't look very scary. "I mean that."

She showed me that she was absolutely serious, and I sighed.


	14. Chapter 14

**14. Irritable**

"Fine," I said flatly. "I'll at least _try_ to be happy. Maybe I'll beat at some happiness. Beat it into submission and bottle it. It's homeopathic. I really don't want to go to… _school_. Alice, do we really have to?"

"You're going," Alice said, forcing Cameron and I into her yellow Porsche. "I don't like sounding like a diplomatic mother but you _are_ going. It's fun sometimes, you know, and it goes fast."

"Fine." I stopped struggling and fell in beside Cameron. "I'm going to bug you, though. The whole way."

I knew Alice rolled her eyes in the driver's seat. Just for fun, I changed my plan a few times per second until she put a hand on her head. She didn't say anything, so I guessed she didn't know my plan was to change plans over an over. My real plan was hidden way in the back of my head, and I showed it to Cameron.

"Nice," he said. "Do you know what you're doing yet?"

I smirked. "Oh yeah." I showed him, and we high-fived at just he right time.

I thought really hard at Alice, finding a way to really annoy her. When it clicked, I threw a song at her, making it really loud.

"Don't do that!" Alice complained, pulling out of the long driveway onto the highway. "I should've seen this coming, too!"

I thought a few loud songs at her. She complained for a while. Then she gave up.

"Okay," Alice said calmly. "I give up. I won't force you anymore." She pulled over, quickly opening the back door facing the road. "Get out. Go do whatever you want. Just stop bugging me."

"Sweet, thanks," I said. "But I want to go now. If that bugs you enough, I wonder how annoyed a bunch of humans will be…."

"Go ahead and bug them, I don't like that invasion. Edward reading my mind is fine and Renesmee's projecting her thoughts is fine, but do _not _put them together anymore."

"Yeah, okay. I swear on all my records that I will _not_ do that – to you – anymore.

Alice looked straight at me and nodded. "Okay, I believe you. I'll let you back in – because I have to. Not because I love you. Because I don't, at the moment."

Cameron snorted. "Load of crap, we all know you love us," he said, hopping back into the car. "Don't you think a Porsche in Forks would be a little conspicuous?" he asked.

"It's not Bella's Ferrari," Alice replied, shrugging. "Now, we left early because I knew we'd be delayed. I didn't know it was your fault, though. So we'll be there with good time, now."

I sat back and closed my eyes. I started humming to myself, tunelessly at first. Slowly it morphed into a perfectly tuned Beatles song. Alice sighed in the front.

"Good song choice," Cameron joked, singing along.

"Thank you," I mumbled, still on the beat of the song.

"We're here – finally," Alice announced, "and Ness beat us."

__________

It seemed like a hundred people were staring at me. Except I knew they weren't staring at me – they were staring at the Porsche. Alice didn't seem to notice and Cameron didn't seem to care, but I seemed to be noticing everything.

"I'm not going to lie about anything," I said in a shaky voice. "We're twins, and Renesmee's family – adopted family."

"But we _will_ be lying," Cameron said. "I have to be a normal human, _Ness_ has to be a normal human, and _you_ have to be normal."

"_Or _I could say we're magicians!"

Renesmee came running up to the Porsche before it could be entirely surrounded. She opened the front passenger door and jumped inside.

"Hey, gang!" she said, pulling her curls away from her face. "Everyone excited for a beautiful Forks day at Forks High School? We're going to La Push today, so I can just spend the whole day with Jake!"

I stared at her. From the corner of my eye, I could see my mirror expression on Cameron's face. He blinked.

"Could you repeat that?" I didn't understand a single word she said. "What are our classes anyway? Why would we be going to La Push?"

Renesmee and Alice giggled. Cameron looked at me quizzically, and I shrugged. We turned to the other two, who were still shaking with laughter.

"This school got a new course a couple years ago," Renesmee explained. "Outdoor Ed. You spend a whole semester away from school – outside. It's really fun. Our class is great – you'll love them. Even our _teacher_ is cool."

I sighed. "This is really easy, isn't it?" I asked dully. Beside me, Cameron nodded.

"It's four easy credits. The exam can be anything, too. Last year's class just had a card-castle contest. Except it was on a windy cliff."

I thought about that for a second. "Cool! Let's go!" I said, and everyone opened their doors at the same time.

Alice waved goodbye and sat on the hood of her Porsche while a bunch of students asked her questions about the car and herself. I heard one guy – who thought he was cool – ask Alice what her sign was. The three of us snickered together, and Alice told them politely to go away before she ran them over.

Renesmee led us to a building with a tiny office with orange carpets. Cameron and I got registered, and she quickly towed us back outside.


	15. Chapter 15

**15. Easy**

"_What the hell is that_?" I yelled, stopping in my tracks.

"What's what?" Renesmee asked, looking around.

Cameron kept walking towards the grotesque yellow _thing_, and I warned him to stop.

"_What_ is that obscene thing?" I said, pointing to the thing. There were wheels on the bottom, so I assumed it was some kind of vehicle. The red octagon telling people "STOP" didn't help me.

Renesmee looked from me, to the thing, and back. Cameron just stared at me, his grey eyes big and confused.

"That would be a _bus_," Renesmee said slowly, as if explaining to a five-year-old. "It brings us to where we go every day."

I shook my head. "I'm not going near that thing."

"It's a _bus_!" Cameron complained. "It won't hurt you." He came and grabbed my right wrist, and Renesmee grabbed the other. "Let's go, onto the bus. You're like a two-year-old…."

I kept shaking my head and telling them to let go, but they didn't budge. When I was two feet away from the _bus_ I calmed myself down enough to be able to talk to the teacher.

He looked like he could've been a distant relative of Renesmee's. His hair was about the same colour red, if not a little darker. He had friendly dark green eyes that made him look more like a kid. He was average height and a little skinny. What threw me off was that he was wearing a t-shirt and jeans – I knew that wasn't normal for teachers at work. He was leaning against the bus flipping through a book I'd read before – he'd apparently lost his page.

"Hey Clarence," Renesmee said, waving. "Two-fifty-seven."

He nodded. "Right," he said, folding that page. He looked up and smiled. "Morning, Ness. How's life?"

"Pretty good," she replied casually, as if he were just another student. "I've got some friends who moved down this weekend, they're in this class too." She turned to us. "Cameron and Loreli."

"Nice to meet you," he said, shaking each of our hands.

"You shouldn't dog-ear your pages," I told him immediately, "it ruins the book."

"Yeah, I know," he said, looking at it. "I keep losing my bookmark and my page, and this stays put."

"So do paperclips."

He looked up with an expression like _Why didn't I ever think of that?_

A small group of students sprinted by us and ran to the bus. Just as the last person's foot hit the first step on the bus, a bell rang.

"And now we're late," Clarence said, stepping onto the bus. Renesmee and Cameron followed, and I came slowly after them.

"I'm going to kill myself," I muttered, sitting down next to the window. Cameron hopped across the little aisle and sat beside me. I held onto the seat in front of me with white knuckles.

The hideous contraption that would surely cause my death roared to life, and conversation began. Renesmee sat across from us, leaning against a few bags, and taking part in the conversation with the rest of the students and Clarence.

"What's the exam?" one student asked – a small blonde girl with icy blue eyes. "Are we camping for a week like the other class?"

"I'll think of something," Clarence said, shrugging. He sat in front of Renesmee, also leaning on bags. "We've got three months, don't we?"

"Three months today," Renesmee said matter-of-factly. "Today is March seventeenth."

I shut my eyes as the bus hit another bump. These twelve minutes had been the worst of my entire life – even counting my days in Italy. Which made me think…. _Demetri and Gianna should be touring Australia right now…. _I wouldn't deny it – I missed them. Both of them. We convinced them to "go veg" in ten seconds, and I learned they were pretty good at it. _I guess,_ I thought, _not liking what you are helps you make better choices. _I sighed, wishing there was some way to communicate with my adopted brother and sister.

"All right people," Clarence called, "we're here. Everybody get out of the bus or you fail."

I yanked on the red bar that said "EMERGENCY EXIT" and slid out the double-wide window. Landing smoothly on my feet, I ran a few feet away from the bus that would surely kill me someday. I turned around to see a bag flying at my face. I caught it easily and set it on the ground, pulling out one of nine water bottles and chugging it.

"Good system," Cameron said, taking the empty bottle. "Maybe we should teach these people to have better reflexes when it comes to…life or death situations." He smiled – not in the amused way, but in the genuinely happy way. It was contagious – I smiled too.

"Oh crap!" I whispered, yanking him behind a tree.

"What?" he said, looking around. He obviously didn't know the problem was him.

"You changed! Red hair, green eyes…. Wait." I looked carefully at myself in a puddle on the ground and saw that I hadn't changed. "Okay, we have to fix you." I lightly touched one red hair on his head, and they all turned black. "Umm… I'm not touching your eye."

He sighed, and his eyes went grey. "Better?" he asked, still smiling a little.

"Yes," I replied. "Much better."


	16. Chapter 16

**16. Introduction**

I pulled him out into the little clearing. The bus had already left, and there was a bunch of camping equipment on the ground beside a tree. Clarence was marking a green and white sheet on a neon orange clipboard.

"Good, you fixed him," Renesmee said as we stood beside her quietly. "You were too busy freaking out to notice Cameron trying to be a chameleon."

"Do you really want to know now?" he whispered. I nodded. "It's just this thing I do when I want people to leave me alone – I change my appearance _a lot _so people are too weirded-out to come to me."

I frowned. "That's a little antisocial, don't you think?"

He shrugged. "As far as many people are concerned, I'm the shy and quiet one."

"…and we have two new additions to our family," Clarence said on the other side of the group. "They're over there being special. Five people decided to move to Canada, so now there are only eight of you, including the newcomers.

"Do we get to know their names?" the blonde girl asked politely.

Clarence looked at his clipboard, then at Renesmee, and then at Cameron and I.

"My name is Loreli," I told them. "I'm an illusionist."

"I'm Cameron," he said. "Me too."

One guy rolled his eyes. He looked like the kind who assumed he was cool, even though nobody thought the same.

I smiled at him and changed, making my eyes bright red instead of grey, and my hair neon blue instead of black. He yelped and jumped back, and everybody else just stared.

"And you thought illusions were jus magic tricks," I said, becoming dull again. I put my hands together. "So, what do we _do_ in this class?"

"Camp," Clarence replied, smiling. He tucked his clipboard into a duffel bag and led the way into the forest.

__________

"And… who are you?" Clarence asked, almost looking straight up. I never noticed how tall seven feet was. And Jacob was nearly twice as big width-wide then skinny Clarence.

"I'm with Ness," Jacob said, leaning against the big tree and smiling as the class stared. "I'm Jacob Black. I _live_ here. Legally, you're on _my _land…."

Clarence stared up at Jacob. I wondered what he was thinking, and then I remembered I could read his mind. There was a hilarious combination of surprise and _blank_.

_?!?! …_

I snickered and dove into the five-person tent that held three. There was a gigantic air mattress that we somehow stuffed in here, and Renesmee was taking a well-earned nap. She had a few scratches from the local trees and a light streak of dirt on her nose, but she was still perfect. Her hands were hanging off the side of the mattress. I lightly touched her palm, sensing she was far from conscious. Very quietly, I slipped out of the tent and returned to the scene with Jacob and Clarence.

Jacob turned to me, ignoring whatever Clarence was saying. I shook my head.

"Oh well," Jacob said, shrugging. "Okay Mr. Teacher, I'm leaving. Bye." He gave a short wave and left without another word.

A few minutes later, Clarence turned to me, looking confused. "Do you actually know that Jacob Black?"

I shrugged. "He's family enough." I took a step back, and Clarence seemed a little confused. "Back up," I warned.

Cameron suddenly swung upside-down from the tree above us, just as Clarence took a step back. He was shocked – that was an understatement. I laughed lightly, and Cameron smirked. Clarence sat down on the wet ground, staring up at Cameron hanging by his knees from the tree above my head.

"Hiya," Cameron said, crossing his arms.

"Hey," I replied as Clarence waved fractionally. "You realize you almost gave him a heart attack. I don't think any one person could survive you hanging from a tree."

Cameron shrugged. "I don't care. He's alive, isn't he?" He turned to Clarence. "Aren't you, Mr. Clarence?" Clarence nodded.

I shook my head and told Cameron to come down. He rolled his eyes, pulling pack up to the tree. A few seconds later he jumped down, landing right in front of me. He wasn't smiling.

"Tent," he said, pointing to Renesmee's Napping Hut.

I followed him to it, and he went in. We sat down by Renesmee's feet. I carefully took off her muddy running shoes and placed them by the entrance.

"So, do you want to know why I'm – why _we're_ sad today?" Cameron asked. I nodded, wiping off my hands.

"You said – thought – someone died today," I said. "Was it a friend, or family?"

There was a second of hesitation, and he said, "Family."


	17. Chapter 17

**17. Summary**

Cameron told his story. "Today is March seventeenth. One month ago – relatively – was February sixteenth. If you think that sounds familiar, it was the day you disappeared four years ago. We were thirteen. Mom and Dad thought you were just being rebellious, you'd be back soon. I knew you wouldn't be back at all.  
"A week went by. Then two, then three, then four. You were gone for a month when they decided you weren't coming back. That was March sixteenth.  
"The next morning was frosty. A little bit icy. If you don't remember, there was a creek by our neighbourhood – that was where the police said you must have gone. You had to drive to get there; walking was a little too long.  
"So we were all awake in the morning. We were just sitting there. Nobody spoke, or ate, or moved. I don't know what changed, or if it was just impulse, but Mom and Dad decided they wanted to go to the creek. They thought, maybe, you were still there somehow. We never believed in angels but… I guess they thought you were just going to come walking out of the forest and it would all be a happily ever after sort of thing.  
"I didn't want to go. I was still too numb to even think about it. The only thing I _did_ think was that they'd be back, with you. And everything would be better."

There was a long silence. Renesmee had woken up and was sitting up, listening intently with a depressed expression. She wiped the dirt off her face with her sleeve, waiting for Cameron to finish his story. But even I knew what he was about to say.

"I didn't even care when they were gone for three hours. I just sat and starved myself, waiting to get sick. But I didn't…. And then the doorbell rang. It rang a few times, and then they started knocking. I didn't answer, and they decided to just come in. The door was unlocked – we never locked it.  
"Two people came in. They weren't dressed like cops, but I recognized them without uniforms. The first thing they did when they saw me was hug me. I remember them…. Miss Amy Chapman was pretty, and blonde, and she had bright green eyes; Mr. Jonathan Anderson was really tall and friendly and a ginger with lots of freckles…. He coached our soccer team, too. Anyway, I wasn't really listening to them. They just kept talking, and I sort of wanted them to just go away.  
"Then they started talking about you, and Mom, and Dad. They didn't tell me they drove into the creek – Mom was a better driver than that, and Dad would've biked there if it was legal. Not that Miss Amy or Mr. Jon cared about biking in the winter.  
"No, they didn't drown in the creek, like the others said _you_ did – Miss Amy and Mr. Jon were convinced you were still alive, by the way – it was the most random and unexpected thing that could only happen in Ontario, Canada."

He paused to let out half a laugh, at some seemingly ridiculous thing.

"They didn't even get close to the creek. They were on that road, though. They were driving t a good speed, not sliding on the ice. Then Moby Dick ran out in the road, and they hit him."

I gaped at Cameron. The corners of his mouth were turned up, like he wanted to grin but he couldn't. Renesmee looked utterly lost, and I felt the need to explain.

"Moby Dick was the Town Moose. He was really fat and stupid. I remember…. Every year the town would gather and try to catch him, but nobody could ever find him. He was like the Ghost Moose…." I trailed off, looking at Cameron. He was smiling, but it looked pained. Renesmee closed her eyes and fell sleep again.

"Mom and Dad did not survive the collision," Cameron said. "But Moby Dick did."

"The bastard!" I cried, throwing my hands in the air. "That retarded moose killed our parents! I should kill him."

"I already did. Whe I went and freaked out the other cops, I took one of their guns and went into the forest. He was just sitting there, so I got him."

I sighed, lying down beside the sleeping Renesmee. I thought I deserved a nap after that stressful story. I looked at Cameron, who shrugged. "Wish I could sleep," he said.

"What did you do, after?" I asked him. "Where did you go?"

"Where any unmotivated college dropout would go," he joked. "Nowhere. I was really pissed about everything, one month having everyone with me, the next month having nothing but books and records. I inherited everything, including the house – I'm not sure how that worked, but it still belongs to me. Nobody knows where I am now, but they know I'm alive, because every so often I drop in and say hi to people…. Anyway, I had to stay put. I went from foster family to foster family to foster family. It was okay, I guess.  
"Last year a family adopted me. No more changing families every half year. I didn't really care to remember their names. They were Other-mom, Other-dad and Other-sister. I liked them, but they were really… different. Not in a personality way. They were too perfect."

He smiled, and I understood. "They were vampires," I said. "Epic."

"Indeed, it was epic. It was their second speech, right after the tour of the house and where everything was – it was a pretty big house, almost as big as the Cullens'. So, yeah, they just flat-out told me they were vampires, and that they did _not_ feed on humans, and that was why they moved to a place with an overpopulation of bears and foxes.  
"I wasn't surprised. I didn't care what they were. Other-sister was a year older than me biologically – they bit her when she was sixteen and adopted her. I told her I was sixteen, and she asked me if I wanted to be a vampire. I said sure. She bit me, and I woke up forty hours later.  
"It was really weird. I felt different, but somehow, I knew it wasn't right. They said three days, but it hadn't been two. Other-dad decided I was a failure, but Other-mom said I would be the most perfect human in the world. So I am. I don't have to eat, but I can; I don't have to sleep, but I do. I don't drink blood, but if I bit you, you would turn into a vampire. My eyes are green, and both vamps and wolves tell me they can't smell me. I bruise, I bleed, just like any human, but I heal fast. Randomly Emmett will look at me and laugh because I cut myself with a spoon –"

I laughed hysterically, and Renesmee jumped awake.

"You old her about the spoon, didn't you?" she said. Cameron nodded, and I coughed from laughing horizontally.

"It hurt very much, thank you."

"How did you cut yourself with a _spoon_?"

He rolled his eyes, and Renesmee snickered. "I said Jacob was a smelly pup, and this elf –" he pointed at Renesmee, "– decided to throw a kitchen drawer at me. I managed to dodge all of them, and then his _gigantic spoon_ flew at me and sliced my hand open. It hurt like _hell_."

"Ah, that's _funny_," I said, closing my eyes. "These three months will be gone before I know it…."

"Mhmm…." I felt Cameron's head on my feet, and two part-humans were asleep.

And then there was me….


	18. Chapter 18

**18. Campfire**

My head throbbed so much I could've thrown up. There was a loud ringing in my ears, and my ribs hurt as if I'd fallen straight down. There was a sour smell that reminded me of a wet dog, and I wondered where the hell I could be – it even hurt to _think_.

I lay face-down on something that was a little damp – the source of the wet-dog smell. I moaned as I rolled off it onto the gravel and tree needles. I coughed and opened my eyes slowly.

"_Oh crap_!" I yelled, jumping up and away from the giant grey-brown ball of… fur. It twitched, and I took a step back, letting out another small cough. Nothing else happened.

I leaned against a wet tree and examined my surroundings. I was in a forest, most obviously. The ground was mostly leaves and needles under the fur-ball, almost like it was supposed to be a bed….

The sun burst through the clouds above me and it seemed to open my mind as well. _That fur-ball is Seth, you moron_, I told myself after the grey-brown turned to sandy brown. I smiled when Seth-wolf unconsciously rolled over to absorb the sunlight.

_I'm fine, _I thought. _I must've fallen down or something. That's what you get when you get bored in a rainy forest...._

Seth-wolf yawned hugely and shook his head. He sat up, and I went to stand beside him – he was the same height sitting as I was standing.

_Heyo, _he thought.

"Hi," I said out loud. "I'd just like to clear some things up right away: you smell really bad, I'm lost and what time is it?"

Seth barked a short laugh and trotted deeper into the forest. A couple seconds later, he came back out wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

"To clear those things up," he said, "I do not smell bad, you're just insane; I'm not lost; and it's about twenty-three minutes after you tripped. Smooth move, by the way."

I followed him back to our class's camp, which was miraculously twenty seconds away. All eight others – Clarence, Renesmee and Cameron included, of course – were sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows. Cameron looked up and gestured for us to join.

"Hello newcomer!" he greeted Seth.

"Hi," Seth replied, picking up two of the pointy sticks in the pile beside him. He handed one to me, prepared with a marshmallow. I put it over the fire, spinning it so it would warm evenly.

"Who's that, now?" John said, pulling a flaming black marshmallow out of the fire. He blew it out carefully, then set the stick across his lap.

I pulled the perfectly golden marshmallow off the fire. "He's Seth Clearwater. He's another family friend; he lives down the old beaten trail," I joked.

"It's actually called a _road_," Seth clarified, stealing my marshmallow before I could take it off the stick. "Well done, Buddy," he complimented he marshmallow.

I stabbed another one to the stick. "That's fine, I don't like them golden anyway," I said, leaning it right into the fire. The small class gaped as I pulled out the burning thing, blew it out, peeled the layer off and ate the inside. "Warm marshmallow-stuff is much better in s'mores, I must admit…."

I looked around the circle, starting from my right: Cameron making a giant s'more sandwich beside me; Renesmee examining a golden marshmallow on his right; small blonde Amber burning the remains of her last marshmallow from her stick; Clarence, who suddenly threw a handful of salt into the fire, making it change colours; and "my four personal Beatles", whose names were actually John, Paul, George, and Ringo – the quadruplets were all scraping burnt marshmallows into the fire; Seth, who was the second-oldest of the entire group, and somehow eating eighteen marshmallows at the same time; and me. We were a strange group, and I liked it.

"So, you were gone awhile," Paul commented, throwing a marshmallow that hit me square between the eyes. "What were you and Buddy doing?"

"Huh? Oh. I got bored and I decided to go for a walk, and twenty seconds away I tripped and fell on my face, and I knocked the wind out of myself, and I passed out. Then about ten minutes before I arrived I awoke, and I was lost and confused, and then Seth came and directed me back here." I took a deep breath, and let it out.

George blinked. "You fell on your face? Epic."

"Good job, idiot," Ringo said, "leave it to the mean Beatle to ignore the fact that she was unconscious."

"Oh shut up, you were the teacher's pet, anyway."

"At least I have responsibilities! What would they do without the drummer, eh?"

"Lead guitar's important too!"

"So is bass!"

"And rhythm guitar!"

"_SHUT UP_!" I yelled, setting a silence over the crackling of the flames. "My Beatles, I love you all evenly, so stop arguing about separate parts and remember that you get along best when you work _together_. So get over it. Thank you, and good luck with _Hey Jude_."

There was a brief silence in which everybody stared at my Beatles, expecting a response. When the four of them shrugged synchronically, the tension broke.

"What about _Hay Jude_?" Amber asked, honestly curious. Her big blue eyes shined in the light of the day, and the fire.

"Best-selling single of all time – and I have the 45." I grinned, imagining better times when the four originals were alive and well and playing together. I sighed, easily depressed at the thought.

"So…" Clarence said. "How many of these La Push people do you know?" The question was directed to me, Renesmee, and Cameron together, so I let one of them answer.

"They've been around my whole life," Renesmee said. "And before that."


	19. Chapter 19

**19. Exam, Beginning**

The sky eventually darkened, from the clouds, and from the sun setting in the west. Our campfire continued uninterrupted.

"Nine-thirty in the evening," Clarence announced. "Your exam has officially begun." He opened our seventh bag of marshmallows and stabbed one. He spun it over the fire, apparently trying to cook it perfectly.

"You seem relatively nonchalant about this 'exam'," Cameron pointed out. "Are we supposed to be _doing_ something, or is our exam _camping_?"

"The latter is correct, and if you wish to carry out the initial idea, you're fully welcome to."

I yawned, letting Seth eat another golden marshmallow off the stick. "Does Seth have to leave, then? I think he's enjoying the feast." I looked over to see him throw a burnt marshmallow at John, who fell off his lawn chair with a loud exclamation that isn't to be repeated. Seth doubled over laughing, and the rest of us joined in.

"What was that for?" Paul asked.

"I felt like it," Seth said, shrugging.

"Good reason," I said sarcastically. "Aren't you a little old for 'I felt like it'?"

"That depends," Clarence interjected. "I honestly think twenty-one is too old for 'I felt like it'. And how old _are_ you, exactly…?"

"I'm nineteen at the moment, but I turn twenty in three weeks. So I've got a year still." Seth peered around the circle at every face. "You don't believe me. Classic."

I rolled my eyes at them, and Cameron and Renesmee smiled. Everybody had put their sticks on the ground except me. I finished with this marshmallow and took tiny bites out of it. I thought I should say something, so I pointed out, "They never believe the wolves. It's true you guys, he's nineteen. He's not in his twenties yet."

"They think I'm in my twenties?"

I nodded, setting my stick in the pile of extras. "_Late _twenties."

Too many thoughts buzzed around my head. My mind was letting me know I was tired. I ignored it, focusing on one certain thought.

I sighed. "I have a love-hate relationship with _The Long and Winding Road_," I said quietly.

"Why's that?" Cameron asked, poking me with a twig. I grabbed it, broke it in half and tossed it into the fire.

"It depresses me."

"Oh, of course it does. Every song that says _the end_ is depressing to you. But it's because it's the end of The Beatles, right?"

I nodded. _Okay, if I don't sleep soon, I'll need caffeine_.

"I'm really tired. Good night to all: Cameron, Renesmee, Amber, Clarence, John, Paul, George, Ringo, Seth, and the marshmallows!" The group around the fire said goodnight, and I walked slowly to the group of tents belonging to our class.

I ducked into the tent that was to be shared by myself, Renesmee, and Amber. I turned the knob on the lantern so I could see everything in the tent. I settled myself onto my third of the mattress, turned the knob again, and was asleep within seconds.


	20. Chapter 20

**20. Sir**

I looked at the little portable TV that sat under a small tree. There was no colour, and the clock that sat on top ticked slowly. In the silence of the forest, _tick – tick – tick_... it was enough to drive an impatient person crazy.

Ten minutes ago, the rest of the class decided to go do something in La Push. There was no doubt where Renesmee went first... No, this was not a time to laugh. Something was happening, and it was not good.

_So, here I am, _I thought. _Sitting beside a dead fire, alone, waiting for the news to tell me something bad, other than the usual famine and murder._

My heart was beating like a hummingbird's wings. I just wanted to _know_. I wanted to know what happened. I wanted to know why and I wanted to know when.

_Now, please._

"Please," I whispered, unclenching my hands again. "Please, I just want to know…" I closed my eyes, hoping the news I was waiting for – that I didn't know about – would come very soon.

There were light footsteps behind me. I didn't need to turn and look – the contents of his thoughts were enough to tell me who it was.

"Hi, Seth," I said quietly, my eyes still closed.

"Hey Lo," he replied, sitting on the ground beside me. "You know, the apocalypse is in December. You still have six months."

I shook my head. "No, this is something different altogether. This is... natural."

Conversation ended there – the commercials had just ended, and the news was back on. I waited through weather and sports, all the good news, and all the normal stuff that happened every day. This was the end – the big stuff.

Some memorials for people who died three years ago… flashbacks of their careers… stuff from the year they died…

And then it ended. I sat perfectly still, seeing the credits fly by on the right side of the screen. The TV went black, and a recent Simpsons episode started.

"Are you sure it was today?" Seth asked.

I nodded. "I was absolutely positive... There's no way I was wrong..."

Seth shrugged. Still not believing, I got up and reached for the dial on the TV. I hesitated there, suddenly thinking of the clock. It was ticking too slowly, and the second hand momentarily moved backwards. I waited for the battery to finish dying, and when it finally stopped ticking, there was a loud noise from the TV.

I jumped and fell backwards to the sudden and dramatic music of a breaking news bulletin. The words flashed across the screen – "_BREAKING NEWS_" – and my heart stopped beating.

Instead of gut-wrenching, heartbreaking stuff, it was a thankful, heart-warming story about a kidnapped child who was just found.

"Damn it all," I muttered, flicking the TV off.

Seth patted my shoulder. "You'll find it," he said. "I gotta go. I'll be back later though. Eight o'clock, sharp. Deal?"

I nodded, standing up. I turned and hugged Seth, and then he left with a small wave. I waved back, just before he disappeared from the clearing.

__________

"What was it?" Cameron asked as he jumped into the tree above me.

I shrugged. "Nothing yet, that I'm aware of. Why are you in the tree?"

He just shook his head and climbed higher. I turned away, nearly walking into another tree.

Leah suddenly sprinted into the clearing, looking around wildly. "_Where is he_?" she asked fiercely.

Startled, I replied, "Who?"

She rolled her eyes and walked towards me and my tree. We were the same size, so she looked me in the eye. "Where is Cameron?" she said calmly.

I played dumb, looking around. "I don't think he came through here. If he did, I didn't see him. Can't you sniff him out or something? You _are_ a wolf, after all."

"_We can't smell him_."

I took a step back. "Holy crap Leah, calm down. What did he do?"

She shook her head and continued running through the clearing. She dove over a tent and phased before she landed. Her T-shirt and shorts landed in a ripped heap on my tent, and I went to retrieve them. I dumped them all in a pile and ventured into my bag for a change of clothes for Leah.

"Don't see why nobody answers my questions," I muttered sourly.

Cameron jumped down from the tree and came over to me. "She's really intense, isn't she?" He wore a sly smile, and there was a big red splotch on his left cheek. He didn't seem to notice either of them.

"Did she slap you?" I asked, fixing the colour.

"Yep," Cameron replied. I looked at him, a little horrified, and he laughed. She didn't slap me. Jeez. It must've been from jumping into that tree. I smacked my face off a branch."

"Why was she chasing you?"

He grinned and pulled a small book from his pocket. It was light blue, and it had Leah's name written on the front. "_You took her diary_?" I yelled. I yanked the book from his hand. "What a thing to do, you douchebag!"

"I didn't take it," he said. "She dropped it, and I decided to play keep-away. It was quite fun until she sacked me."

I rolled my eyes and ran after Leah. Cameron followed easily behind me, and I threatened to run at a vampire's pace.

"I don't care," he retorted.

"Okay." I shot off, streaking through the woods and kicking mud behind me.

_________

I caught up to Leah-wolf in about a minute. She was sitting near the edge of the cliff, her grey tail swishing behind her. She took the clothes I brought her and trotted into the forest to phase back. When she returned in human form, I handed her the book.

"Thanks," she said, tucking it in the back pocket of her shorts.

"No problem," I replied. "How'd he get to it anyway?"

Leah leaned against a tree. "Beats me, but he got it, didn't he? He's a villain."

"A sly villain," I agreed.

Cameron ran out of the forest, stopping as soon as he cleared the trees. He looked from me to Leah to the space between us three. "Oh crap," he muttered, shooting back into the forest.

"Idiot," Leah and I said together. We shook hands and looked out to the Pacific Ocean.

I smiled when I saw the view: endless blue water, blue skies and pink clouds. The sun was behind me, and the light spread over the trees and spilled over. I turned back to the ocean to see Leah precariously perched on the cliff's edge.

"Should I dive from here?" she asked. "Or should I dive from down there?"

"Well. I'm not one for cliff-diving regularly," I answered, "but I would say diving from the top is the most terrifying and gratifying of any place to dive from. So my answer would be that you can dive from anywhere, but if you choose to dive from here, I will join you."

"I guess you're joining me," Leah said, walking back to where I stood. We ran back to the edge and flew off, laughing most of the way down.

__________

The class rejoined quickly around the fire pit, apparently deciding whether to light the fire. I knew I would be useless in that division – I was still sopping-wet from diving almost an hour ago. Everybody had asked me how I got wet, and I told everybody the same thing: _I went cliff diving with Seth's sister Leah._ The only people who said anything after that were Clarence and Paul.

Clarence had asked how old Leah was – I told him she was about twenty-six, and he seemed interested. Paul seemed to be more conscious of my physical health – he'd asked me if I was okay, and if I felt sick.

"Of course not," I replied. "It was fun."

At about nine, Amber lit the fire. We were stocked up with marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers. I lost count of the number of s'mores I'd eaten at twelve. For all I knew, I could've been eating my thirtieth at that very moment. Renesmee and Cameron sat across the circle, and I was between George and Ringo.

"Weren't you waiting for something?" Renesmee asked me.

"I don't think it's happening today," I replied.

"You saw something happen?" John asked from Ringo's right.

I nodded, getting up to flip the switch on the TV. I sat back on my log just as another low-key news show started. The class fell silent and paid close attention to every word. So far, everything was unhelpful. Then...

"We have just received confirmation," the anchorwoman said, looking mortified. She choked, and began her sentence again. "We have just received confirmation of Paul McCartney's death –"

The stick in my hand fell into the fire. I was frozen. There was a sheer numbness all around me, like someone had just placed ice on all my nerves.

I stood up and kicked the TV across the clearing, where it hit a tree and smashed into a thousand pieces.


	21. Chapter 21

**21. Stress**

I was drowning for half a second, then I landed on the front porch of the big white house. I wrenched the door open and slammed it behind me, shaking my head the whole time. Everybody in the living room – Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Japer, Edward and Bella – all looked at me worriedly. I flicked my hand at them, signalling for them to leave me alone.

I charged up three flights of stairs and pushed the door to my room out of my way. I slammed that behind me and pulled the lock. I went to the Window Wall and snapped the silver cover over the windows. I took down the gold fabric around the walls and stared at the newly silver walls for a while. My gaze moved down to the gold carpet, around the room, and rested on my shelves. I silently walked over and tossed one of the sheets over my music shelf, covering everything.

When I had simmered, I fell onto the couch. I ran my fingers over the small cut on the right arm from when the broken _Abbey Road_ slipped across it. The black leather had split, and there was a little white tuft sticking out. I carefully pushed it back in and smoothed over the hole.

"Knock, knock," someone said from the other side of the door.

"Not interested," I muttered, but I got up and released the bolt, opening the door a crack. "What do you want?"

Edward nudged me aside and examined the room. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't destroy anything. Why'd you put the sheet over the shelf –?"

I shut the door in his face.

He knocked again, and I made a point of pulling the lock again.

__________

I had tried to sleep off my stress. I knew it was a waste of time to isolate myself so much over someone's death – even if they were the biggest someone I'd ever known of. Now I sat on the floor in the middle of my room, staring at the draped-off shelf of all my music.

Stage one of stress: denial. That went through my head too fast to notice.

Stage two of stress: panic. That had lasted more than thirty-six hours, from the time I saw the news until a second ago.

Stage three of stress: acceptance. Paul McCartney was dead, and I just had to deal with it. It happened all the time. This time it just happened to the main person I looked up to my entire life –

_Stop, _I ordered myself. I sighed, deciding what was best for me. Silently, I walked to the shelf and pulled the sheet down with a flourish. I hung up the sheets across the other walls and lifted the curtain from the window. The sun was just rising, and I decided to escape my room. I unbolted the door and stepped outside. I walked halfway to the stairs before I felt a wave of calm rush past me. I rolled my eyes and turned around.

"Really?" I said sarcastically. "Do I honestly need a security guard? Do I have a problem or something? For crap."

Jasper was leaning against the wall on the other side of my door with his arms crossed, looking at the floor. He stood straight and walked to me, ruffling my hair as he passed me. I slapped him in the back of the head, and he chuckled. Unable to be annoyed for long, I followed him downstairs.

I stopped on the bottom step, looking over to the piano. Edward was flipping through a brand-new black book I had never seen before. I assumed it was full of piano music, because he set it on the little ledge and started playing. I stepped down and walked to him, humming the song.

"I found this one time when we went to Seattle," he told me, nodding to the book. "You weren't here yet. Bella, Renesmee and I were at a bookstore, just looking around. A human would see Renesmee as ten years old – she was actually three." Edward stopped playing and handed me the book.

"_The Beatles Songbook_," I murmured.

"_Complete piano and guitar sheet for every known Beatles song_," Edward continued, pointing to the caption on the first page. "In order of release year. That's what those little holes are for – so you can get to where you want to go."

I saw the little indents at different heights on the book. "This is pretty big for a songbook," I said. "_A Day in the Life_... includes 53 seconds of E major that was played by three pianos? Fail."

"What?" he took the book and looked at the last note on the page. "Wow. I don't think I can do that."

"No crap." I sat down on the stool beside him. He moved over so I was centered with the piano. "You know the first song I learned for piano?"

Edward shrugged. "No. Should I?"

I nodded, placing my fingers on the keys. They seemed to fit there – almost like I should've done this a long time ago. "Nobody knew I was musically inclined. They thought the only thing I could do was _know_ the songs. My favourite things to do were copy and create the music."

Edward nodded, and I started _Mary Had a Little Lamb_. He laughed, and I turned to stare at him. Not looking at the piano, I started heavily playing _Money_. He looked a little bit surprised, and I grinned. I paused at the right time and yelled, "_The best things in life are free_!" and started laughing.

Renesmee walked in the open front door, looking expectant. The rest of the Cullen family followed, plus Seth and Jacob. They didn't say much – they just sat around the room being entertained.

"Feeling better?" Carlisle asked me, and I nodded.

"Beatles jam sessions always help," I said. "Thanks for asking."

Esme smiled beside him. "What's family for?" she said. "Other than cleaning up after each other." She nodded towards Emmett, thinking of the time he had used a meat grinder as a fly-swatter.

Edward laughed and started playing Esme's favourite.

_This _is _what family's for, _I thought. _There could be no other word for this._


	22. Chapter 22

**22. Crazy**

I took the piece of paper Cameron was writing on and ran halfway across the kitchen before he realized it was gone. I grabbed a Sharpie and wrote "RAWR" across the back of the page, handing it back to him.

"What's 'rawr' about?" he asked as I walked to the doorway.

"It means 'I love you' in dinosaur," I explained, grabbing more paper. I ruffled through them, counting ninety pages. "This is going to take a while," I murmured, writing the word at an impossible pace.

"Please tell me you're not –"

I nodded, finishing the R on the last page and snapping the lid back on the Sharpie. I tossed it to Cameron and took the roll of packing tape out of my box in one of the cupboards labelled "Useless Stuff I Rarely Use".

Laughing maniacally, I started taping the sheets to random parts of the wall, the couch, the TV, the stairs, the front door, Cameron's face, and Edward's piano. After I had situated thirty pages, I went to the second floor and placed thirty more around, and then placing another thirty on the top floor.

My work nearly complete, I returned the tape to its home and moved one piece from Cameron's face to the inside of the fridge.

"What's the occasion?" Cameron asked, pulling a small piece of tape from his forehead. "Or are you bored?"

I fell onto the couch with a _poof_ and sighed. "Some of both, actually: I have nothing better to do, and today is Unofficial Narnia Day."

"Narnia doesn't exist."

"Sure it does! It's New Zealand. Same with Lord of the Rings."

"You're such an idiot."

"And you're stupid, so we're even."

"I'll take down all the 'RAWR' pages."

"No you won't."

He sighed, giving up. I never saw him as someone who gave up in an argument. Maybe he was as bored as I was. He ventured to the piano and tapped some of the keys.

"I was always better at bass," he said, playing curly-moustache music.

"Violin bass?" I said.

Cameron nodded. "I play left-handed, too."

I smiled. _Paul McCartney_. In my killer boredom, I decided to make my wavy hair strawberry-blonde. I knew my eyes were still blue.

"Nice," Cameron laughed. He had dark brown hair at the moment, and I suddenly wondered what we _actually_ looked like.

"What's funny?" I asked, looking t my reflection in the windows. "Holy crap, I look like Tanya. Oh well, I guess I could annoy Edward further today."

"He's gonna be pissed."

I shrugged. "I don't really care."

__________

Edward walked inside, holding the "RAWR" note. "You realize this is a waste of –" He froze for a fraction of a second when he saw me smiling up at him from the couch. Then, as he realized I was me, and not Tanya, he continued, "time, ink and paper." He examined the room around him and fell onto the couch beside me. Then he laughed. "Good way to spend your time."

"I thought so," I answered, shrugging. "Can we leave them up for a while?"

Edward nodded, quietly retreating outside. I waved as he closed the door.

Cameron turned on the piano stool. I smiled, realizing he had unconsciously changed to look more like me. He looked at me seriously, not smiling. "I feel crappy," he said flatly.

"How so?"

"Miserable. I just feel like something bad is going to happen."

I looked forward, hoping to find something "bad" that was going to happen. The only thing I could see was that there would be a death in some city tonight around ten. I told him that, and he shook his head.

"No sympathy for the soon-to-be dead?" I asked. "How heartless."

He looked horrified. "What's that supposed to mean? If I could stop that person from dying, I would do it in a second. I think _you_ would be the heartless one, just talking about it like it was a bug dying, not a person."

Edward came inside then, and we turned to look at him. "A few of us are going to Seattle soon," he stated. "Are either of you up for it?"

Cameron and I nodded at the same time, and followed Edward back outside.

__________

The Volvo parked in an ordinary city parking lot covered by dark grey clouds. Our group consisted of Cameron, Renesmee, Edward, Bella and I. We exited the car, and I stretched where I stood. I felt good right then. But then I remembered what I always thought about cities.

"Why did I come?" I moaned. "I'm going to get shot for no reason."

Cameron grinned. "Don't worry about it. You'll only get shot if you walk around in the dark. That's when the _wanksters_ come out," he added spookily.

They began walking to the sidewalk, and I pulled Cameron aside.

"I'm serious," I whispered shakily. "I'm going to get shot."

He laughed. "You have to overcome your fears of the city," he said, not paying attention. _He has no idea, _I realized.

I shook my head, and a couple tears flew from my eyes. "You have to listen to me. _I am going to die_."

The other three had stopped and walked back to me and Cameron. Cameron went easily, and, dismissing my words as fear of the city, they convinced me to follow.


	23. Chapter 23

**23. Premonition**

It was beginning to get dark, and I was beginning to get horribly paranoid. My subconscious mind went through my whole life, reminding me, _You didn't have to come. You could've stayed home._

_Shut up, _I told the negative voice fiercely, _I'm going to be fine. It's not like we'll get separated. And even if I _do _get shot, Edward or Bella will bite me. They would never leave me...._

A car backfired, and I jumped. I looked to the sky, thankful that we were sitting at a park that wasn't surrounded by buildings. Most of the clouds had disappeared, revealing the darkening sky. I suddenly wanted the sun to hang over my head, I wanted to see the vampires sparkle, I wanted a cake donut, I wanted so much.

"Can we go home now?" I asked again. "Please."

Bella sighed. "Sure. Let's get out of here." She picked up her bag of books, and the other three did the same. I clutched my one thick book to my chest, somehow hoping it would save me from a bullet. I looked at its colourful cover: _The Beatles Diary_, with four English guys on the front who went from having nothing to having everything.

I laughed as a familiar phrase went through my head – it was something I had said before. _Guns don't fill people. Gaping holes in vital organs kill people._ Cameron gave me a look, and I shook my head, grinning.

_You're hysterical, _Cameron thought.

_Thanks for noticing. Maybe if you'd've listened to me earlier, I wouldn't _be _hysterical. But hey you enjoy yourself. I'll just stay hysterical. With a touch of paranoid in there._

_Please shut up._

I made a show of proving that my mouth was shut, and he flipped me off. I punched him in the back of the head, and we were even.

__________

We reached the parking lot, and I saw that the Volvo was the only car still parked there. My imaginary clock told me it was about ten, and my imaginary calendar told me that it was Wednesday, July thirteenth, twenty-eleven.

"If only it were Friday," Cameron muttered.

"Next year," I promised.

The car was at the opposite end of the lot. We started walking towards it, in no apparent hurry.

Loud steps came up behind me, and I turned to see a _wankster_ standing there, in dark colours. His sweater was unnecessary in this weather. His pants were almost down to his knees, and between them and the sweater, I could see a couple inches of _Guitar Hero _boxers. His hat was sideways, as if his head was screwed on crooked.

"'Sup," he said, as if he knew us. He saw me staring and added, "What you lookin' at, bitch?"

Cameron stood in front of me. "I would appreciate it if you didn't call her a bitch. Thanks," he added icily.

The _wankster _laughed stupidly, not hearing the threat in Cameron's voice. Edward, Bella, and Renesmee flew to the car and packed their things quickly while Cameron and I stood facing the _wankster_. I heard the car start and come quietly towards where we stood.

It was almost where we could jump in when the _wankster _said, "Hey, where do you think you're goin'?"

"Home," I replied shortly, stepping away from Cameron.

"Did I _say_ you could leave?"

"Am I your much-abused girlfriend?" I asked in the same tone. "I didn't think so. Now if you'd let us get out of here –"

"Don't think so," he said. "This is my turf, and my rules say you can't leave now."

I stole a glance to the car, which had exited the parking lot, giving me the best way to take the attention off myself. "Well, I find that hard to believe, since they've left your _turf_ already." I pointed behind him, a bit to the right.

He turned around, and Cameron and I ran for the car, which was to our left. Cameron got there a while before I did, and it freaked me out. I was almost there when the _wankster_ yelled, and there was a small explosion somewhere.

I fell, feeling the ground before I felt the piercing pain in my lower back. _Right behind the stomach, _I thought, wheezing.

"He's gone, you can get up," Cameron called. "Backfiring cars really do sound like guns going off..." he added more quietly.

I tried to pull myself forward and still hold onto the huge book. I managed to drag myself an inch or two before the sharp pain came back, this time in the front.

_Gaping holes in vital organs..._ I thought, flipping over. I felt lightly over my stomach, touching something hard and warm that moved a bit when I went over it. _Bullet,_ I thought, coughing. I touched my lip and saw that I had spit up blood.

"Oh, my, _god_," I whispered.

I heard the car shut off. Doors opened, but never closed, as the other four panicked and ran to me. They tried to talk to me, but all I could do was shake my head against blue light. They yelled for help, but none came. _Classic city_.

"_Help her_!" Renesmee cried. She turned away and started sobbing.

In a last surge of thought, everything happened at once. I saw what would come of this, I heard what they were thinking – it was a huge cluster of panic and anger – and I felt my mind go somewhere else. _They never even thought to bite me,_ I thought sadly.

Somewhere close – or maybe it was some_time_ close – I knew I was done. I knew I could've just ignored that guy and walked away. _But it didn't go that way._

I was positive. Not optimistic. I was sure nothing would happen to me after this.

The worst part was the very end – another sharp pain, a little stab somewhere I couldn't place. I fell into pale blue light, thinking, _Leave me alone!_


	24. Chapter 24: The End

_**The end of this story...**_

*

_**Cameron**_

_My god, if you're not going to try, I might as well! I have to do _something_! _I pushed Edward and Bella away and looked at Ness, crying a few feet away while her parents blanked. _Yeah, you haven't had to fix something like _this_, have you?_ I pulled Loreli to me and hugged her, remembering every waking minute of her. _My sister. The one they called Lovely Loreli._ Unknowingly – to her – she hugged me back, apologizing.

I could practically see the numbers over her; the seconds left until she left. _Not left, _I reminded myself, _died. _I let her go and pushed Edward forward.

"_Bite her_," I whispered.

I backed away as he remembered what he could do. He leaned over her and bit her neck, and Bella helped by biting her wrists. _Finally,_ I thought.

There was a moment where I _felt_ silence in my sister. _Four months, _I complained. _I hadn't seen her in four _years_ and you give me four damn _months_?! What kind of world does that to someone? _My answer was lying in front of me, beside two vampires.

_A godless world, _it flashed.

I tried to listen for something – some breath, or a heartbeat. Either there was nothing, or the ringing behind my ears was too loud for me to hear anything.

_Option two, _a little voice told me, and I fell to the ground, my head in my hands.

"My fault," I whispered. "I should've listened to her. I should've said something. I should've walked way – I should've made her come too. I should've done something right away. I should've called Emergency. I should've called someone –"

"Stop it," Ness said strongly. Her soft brown eyes were suddenly fiercely determined. "Sop blaming yourself. Stop saying you _should've done this_ and _should've done that_. Just _stop it_."

She immediately turned towards the street; so did Edward and Bella. I wasn't easily distracted form my self-loathing, but I followed their gazes to the vehicles racing down the street: a black Mercedes and a red BMW.

"_Alice_," I whispered, standing. My head suddenly cleared, and for once, I was glad Jasper was around. It didn't make me _calm_, but it helped me think –

– and hear.

And what I heard was _wonderful_: a heartbeat, faster than normal, centered within Loreli. It was carrying life through her. And, somehow, it helped _me_.

__________

When they had the situation relatively under control, we raced back to Forks. It wasn't much of a surprise when Tanya showed up a few hours later – someone had surely called her, and she loved Loreli – _and me, _I thought– to bits.

Loreli has been resituated to Carlisle's office, with someone watching over her always. I felt better, knowing she would be okay. She would be the same person – except she would sparkle, and be immortal, relatively – in a few days' time.

The sun was shining in the cool morning outside. I went upstairs to where Loreli was, and knocked lightly on the door, opening it quietly. I looked at Alice, who was smiling at Loreli. "My turn," I said. "You can go hunting, if you want."

Alice got up and walked to me. "Don't listen to her," she said, looking up at me. I patted the top of her head, because I knew it annoyed her. She hit my hand away and walked out, still smiling.

I sat down beside Loreli. She was lying on her side, facing me, with her eyes closed. She looked like she was sleeping, but I knew she couldn't be.

"Hi," she said quietly, opening her eyes. She looked exactly like she did before she left, except older. Her natural yellow hair fell behind her in thick waves, and her indigo eyes shone brightly.

"Hi," I replied, seeing my reflection in the window beside me. "Can you see yourself right now?" I asked. She shook her head fractionally. "You look like you're supposed to: blue-eyed blonde, except your blue was a little bit violet, too."

She looked as if she remembered. "What about you?" she asked. "Is that what you look like?"

"Almost. My hair was never wavy. And my blue eyes are tinted green." Loreli smiled, and I had to as well. "Aren't you in pain right now?"

She nodded. "It's not that bad, though. It feels like fire. But it's not _burning_. It's more... _warming_."

I stood up and leaned against the window, crossing my arms and looking outside. _Maybe that's what Alice meant by telling me not to listen to her, _I thought. _She's supposed to be in searing pain, and she's chatting away..._

"I can sill hear you, dumbass. You're making it seem like I'm a lunatic."

"You _did_ try to kill yourself with a stick."

There was a knock at the door – two swift knocks – and I opened it for Tanya. She walked in and kissed Loreli's forehead, then turned back to me, as I closed the door.

"Hello," she said formally, which made me a bit confused. I never knew Tanya as a very direct person. I walked to where she stood by the window, expecting an explanation. When none came, she looked at Loreli.

"He would appreciate it if you explained why you are here," Loreli told her, just as properly.

Tanya gazed at me, her golden eyes boring. "I came to a realization," she announced in her light voice. "You two re twins, aren't you? Why should one of you have to stop aging, while the other one continues to grow?" She was a foot away from me, and an inch shorter.

"Because she was almost dead," I stated, taking a step back, "and because I'm fine with growing."

Tanya shook her head at the fib. "I know you well enough, Cameron. You don't want to be separated from Loreli for too long, do you?" I shook my head, weaving around a chair to keep backing away from Tanya. "Well. I think I have a solution."

I was trapped at the window, but I didn't feel like retreating anymore. Tanya _was _a very direct person, but not when it came to conversation, where she was casual. Her actions said more than words.

"You _have _matured, haven't you?" Loreli said, distracting Tanya from whatever she was doing. She was right in front of me now; I could feel her hand when it brushed mine. "Already coming on to my brother, eh? That's hilarious, really, it is. Just – go ahead with what you're doing. I'll be over here. Forced to pay attention..." She closed her eyes and began humming _Come Together_, as if mocking me.

"I'm found out," Tanya said, smiling. "Too bad. So, about that solution –"

"Bite me," I said. Tanya looked stricken. "No, seriously. That was your idea, wasn't it? Bite me."

"And hey, while you're at it, kiss him," Loreli cut in from her station.

Tanya grinned, and, as usual, I smiled too.

*

_**Loreli**_

I lay on the whatever-it-was, watching Tanya corner Cameron. It was pretty funny. It made me feel warm ad fuzzy, adding to the warmth of the fire inside me. I waited while they smiled at each other.

"So, are we settled?" Tanya enquired. She didn't speak like she was impatient – more like she was excited. Yuck.

"I guess we are," Cameron answered.

It was horrible to realize, but I kinda felt the love between them. It wasn't really _big_, but it was there. I was a little surprised when Tanya reached up pulled him down to her. She kissed him quickly, then moved to bite his neck. His eyes opened like he had been shocked. He winked at me, and I smiled back.

When Tanya pulled away, Cameron touched his neck lightly with his fingers, to find nothing there. He shivered, turning to me.

"It _is_ warm," he said lightly, mimicking me by lying down across a few folding chairs.

Tanya smiled at us warmly. "I guess I should go tell them they'll have two newborns to take care of."

Cameron laughed lightly. "You say it like we're babies."

Tanya shrugged. "It works – baby."

She brushed past Cameron and walked out the window. I heard her land smoothly.

I looked out and saw her run into the forest, sparkling. Cameron watched after her too, with an expression of pure joy on his face.

_The future is bright, _he thought.

_Yes, it is, _I agreed. _And warm and sparkly._


	25. Before

_Cameron_

I was glad I didn't have to hunt. Being human wasn't that bad. Being part-human was better. No scent for anybody to go crazy over, and I could run like them. How I loved the running… It was the strangest, most amazing thing I had ever experienced, running faster than physically possible, but never getting tired from it.

While all the witnesses were out hunting someplace or other, I stayed at the house by myself. I would entertain myself with books, or the TV, or the piano… whichever suited my mood at the time. Right now I was lying across the couch comfortably, flipping through the guide, looking for something to watch in a few minutes.

"_A Hard Day's Night_," I read. It depressed me a bit to be watching something about the Beatles without my sister, Loreli. This was the first Beatles movie – and _her_ first Beatles movie – and she would watch it over and over… She knew every line.

It had just started when the last group of witnesses showed up. I heard a light knock on the other side of the door, and I got up to let them in.

I opened the door for the Denali vampires: Carmen, Eleazar, Garrett, Kate, and Tanya.

"Hi everyone," I said. "They're just out hunting now – they should be back soon." I looked at their eyes – gold eyes, like the Cullens' – and saw that they were dark. Except the one, the strawberry blonde whose eyes were the lightest gold I had seen yet.

"I've been hunting along the way," she explained, as the other four went out to join the hunting party. I watched them go, and then turned back to her. She held out her hand, and I took it. "I'm Tanya. Forever twenty."

I smiled. "I'm Cameron. Presently seventeen."

"Presently," she said, looking into my eyes. I knew they were gold – it was almost an involuntary reflex when I was surrounded by vampires. I made them their original blue-green, and she took a step back. "You smell like nothing."

"It's a gift." I shrugged. "Failed attempt at making me a vampire. I'm not sure how something like that can fail, but I'm sure if someone else bit me, I would work."

Tanya nodded. Her hair rippled behind her, and her gold eyes kept mine. "How does that work?"

I prepared to explain again. "Well, one thing was that I woke up after a day and a half. Another thing was that it didn't burn horribly like she said it would – it was actually cold. Somewhere in there, I stopped smelling like anything, and I could practically _control_ my heartbeat. It was pretty cool. And even way before then, I could change my appearance – I'm not sure if it was a family trait, because my sister could do it too –" _Ouch, _I thought. _That hurt._

Tanya looked amazed. "You have a sister? Was she bitten too?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. She… disappeared when we were twelve. She's my twin. Actually, I'm _her_ twin, because she's nine seconds older than me." She still looked at me like I were some kind of god. "I'm not amazing. I'm normal."

She shook her head. "You are _far_ from normal," she told me. "You _are_ amazing."

I almost heard a little _click_ as I realized she was being absolutely serious. _She really does think that. I feel liked._

_Tanya_

_What an _amazing _human being, _I realized. _And he's gorgeous! It's a good thing I got over Edward when I did._

I gazed at Cameron. I wasn't even sure he was _real_. Quiet, thoughtful kind… selfless.

_I think I love this kid._


	26. Reviews PLEASE READ

Hey. How's life? Okay, so, if you've made it here, you're either skipping to the end, or making me really happy by reading the entire story. You know what would be really great? If you could tell people about my story, and post a review for some chapters… I'd love that. Thanks again.

I'm done Lo's story now - I even gave you a sneek at the Cameron/Tanya thing. Hope you liked it. It was sort of a last-minute impulse thing, just in case it seemed really weird at the end. It was weird to me. Seriously. I didn't even know it was going to happen until I wrote it.

So, anyway, thanks for reading. If you have any ideas for a different story, post them in a review.

*new* I got extremely bored this summer and wrote a sequel. It's sitting on my USB drive mocking me until I edit it. Hopefully I'll have it up before 2010. If not, it'll never get here. I'd have to change a lot first. I won't tell you anything huge, only that I killed Chelsea. Don't worry, it'll be the first thing to go.


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